Superintendent search narrows to three

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STERLING - The Sterling School District soon may know who will be at the helm July 1. Board members have narrowed their choice for a new superintendent down to three people, board President Jim Brotheridge confirmed.

Tad Everett, assistant superintendent of Sterling Schools, Brad Cox, superintendent of Tri-Valley School district in Downs, and Michael E. Smith, former superintendent of Mateno Community Unit School District and Cary Consolidated School District, meet today with the board and two focus groups.

One group is made up of community members, including Dillon Foundation President Pete Dillon, Sterling Township Youth Services Director Matt Howze, Township Supervisor Dick Gebhardt, Mayor Amy Viering, outgoing Greater Sterling Development Corp. Executive Director Dave Barajas Jr. and CGH Medical Center CEO Ed Andersen.

The other is district administrators and staff, including all the principals except Sterling High School's Jerry Binder, who will be out of town. Assistant to the Superintendent Tim Schwingle, Director of Student Support Services Karen Klingenberg and Technology Director Jeff Hippen will be a part of that group.

The board hopes to have a decision sometime this month, possibly tonight, Brotheridge said.

Sterling is looking for a new superintendent because Wil Booker retires at the end of the school year. Whoever is hired will make between $120,000 and $140,000 a year.

The Cary School District, near Crystal Lake, is a kindergarten through eighth-grade district with about 3,600 students. Mateno has more than 2,200 students and is 50 miles south of Chicago.

The Tri-Valley district is a K-12 district. It has 1,060 students.

During this process the board has learned about certain characteristics the staff and community want in the next superintendent - someone personable, who plans to stay for a while, preferably an internal candidate, familiar with the area and the community.

Board members want someone who will "put Sterling on the map," and who can help students from all groups achieve, Brotheridge said.

Reach Joseph Bustos at (815) 625-3600 or (800) 798-4085, ext. 529.