Post by title1parent on Aug 7, 2008 5:50:17 GMT -5
www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=226053&src=76
Naperville Dist. 203 superintendent calling it quits
By Melissa Jenco | Daily Herald Staff
Published: 8/6/2008 1:30 PM | Updated: 8/6/2008 6:41 PM
Naperville Unit District 203 Superintendent Alan Leis will retire at the end of this school year after roughly 40 years in education.
Leis, soon to be 60, notified the school board several months ago, but his decision was not made public until Wednesday.
"I honestly believe this is a perfect time to leave, both for my family and for me, and for the district as a whole," he said in a written statement. "At this time we are doing very well from an institutional, financial, facilities and staffing perspective, and Naperville 203 is blessed with seven hard-working and dedicated board of education members whom, I am certain, will work with each other and with parents, staff and community, to find a talented and capable leader who will continue to move this district forward."
Leis was hired in 2003 after spending the previous 30 years with Fairfax County (Va.) Public Schools where he served as deputy superintendent among other positions.
In Naperville, he is responsible for 21 schools and more than 18,000 students.
School board President Suzyn Price praised the superintendent's efforts over the past five years. In a written statement, she called him "truly the right person at the right time to lead us into the 21st century."
"He understood what the district needed and listened to what the board had to say and the community had to say and ... focused on curriculum, understood facilities needs and was able to get some big things accomplished here and managed to be a change agent without being disruptive," she said in a telephone conversation.
The district was going through tumultuous times just before Leis' arrival and the new leader was able to calm much of its internal strife.
He also dealt with controversy early in his tenure when a Daily Herald investigation found the district had collected millions of dollars more than it had told taxpayers to expect in the 2002 referendum that took place before he was hired.
But just this year the community showed its renewed trust in the district when it approved a $43 million tax increase to help pay for $114.9 million in facilities projects.
School board Vice President Susan Crotty said Leis has been an "incredible leader."
"He just did that with such grace and dignity," she said. "I feel like we're just one district and he's done a great job of uniting the community."
One of the ways he accomplished that was his idea for the Talk203 districtwide e-mail system to keep parents and community members informed - a system that was used Wednesday when he announced his impending retirement.
Melea Smith, director of communications, praised Leis' communication skills, transparency with the community and work ethic.
"There's nothing he wouldn't ask somebody else to do that he wouldn't do himself," she said. "He's a very hard worker."
Naperville Dist. 203 superintendent calling it quits
By Melissa Jenco | Daily Herald Staff
Published: 8/6/2008 1:30 PM | Updated: 8/6/2008 6:41 PM
Naperville Unit District 203 Superintendent Alan Leis will retire at the end of this school year after roughly 40 years in education.
Leis, soon to be 60, notified the school board several months ago, but his decision was not made public until Wednesday.
"I honestly believe this is a perfect time to leave, both for my family and for me, and for the district as a whole," he said in a written statement. "At this time we are doing very well from an institutional, financial, facilities and staffing perspective, and Naperville 203 is blessed with seven hard-working and dedicated board of education members whom, I am certain, will work with each other and with parents, staff and community, to find a talented and capable leader who will continue to move this district forward."
Leis was hired in 2003 after spending the previous 30 years with Fairfax County (Va.) Public Schools where he served as deputy superintendent among other positions.
In Naperville, he is responsible for 21 schools and more than 18,000 students.
School board President Suzyn Price praised the superintendent's efforts over the past five years. In a written statement, she called him "truly the right person at the right time to lead us into the 21st century."
"He understood what the district needed and listened to what the board had to say and the community had to say and ... focused on curriculum, understood facilities needs and was able to get some big things accomplished here and managed to be a change agent without being disruptive," she said in a telephone conversation.
The district was going through tumultuous times just before Leis' arrival and the new leader was able to calm much of its internal strife.
He also dealt with controversy early in his tenure when a Daily Herald investigation found the district had collected millions of dollars more than it had told taxpayers to expect in the 2002 referendum that took place before he was hired.
But just this year the community showed its renewed trust in the district when it approved a $43 million tax increase to help pay for $114.9 million in facilities projects.
School board Vice President Susan Crotty said Leis has been an "incredible leader."
"He just did that with such grace and dignity," she said. "I feel like we're just one district and he's done a great job of uniting the community."
One of the ways he accomplished that was his idea for the Talk203 districtwide e-mail system to keep parents and community members informed - a system that was used Wednesday when he announced his impending retirement.
Melea Smith, director of communications, praised Leis' communication skills, transparency with the community and work ethic.
"There's nothing he wouldn't ask somebody else to do that he wouldn't do himself," she said. "He's a very hard worker."
