Dear District 97 Community,
During a special board meeting held July 21, the District 97 Board of Education selected the firm Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates (HYA) to facilitate a national search for the district’s next superintendent.
HYA has more than 30 years of experience in executive searches and education consulting, and its associates have considerable history working in Oak Park. The firm recently conducted the superintendent search for Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200, and HYA representative Dr. Constance Collins is an Oak Park resident and former District 97 superintendent.
A number of highly qualified search firms submitted strong proposals that were carefully considered over the past few weeks. The board ultimately selected HYA because of its commitment to equity and robust community engagement, its excellent record for successful superintendent placements, its national reach, and its strong track record of recruiting diverse candidates with demonstrable accomplishments on educational equity. Fellow school districts that have worked with HYA gave glowing reviews.
The District 97 Board will immediately begin working with HYA to determine a timeline for the search, post and advertise the position, and develop a thorough community engagement process that includes focus groups, forums and surveys.
We will continue to keep the community updated about our next steps and opportunities to participate in this important process.
Sincerely,
District 97 Board of Education