FYI: During the Board of Education meeting on August 20, Board president Mike Jaensch announced that the search for a superintendent for Naperville District 203 was no longer necessary. The Office of Communications sent the following news release to local media outlets:
Interim Superintendent Dan Bridges has agreed to a three-year contract offered by the Board of Education and approved during the Monday, August 20, 2012, board meeting answering the question of who will be the next superintendent for Naperville CUSD 203.
When the Board of Education was informed in March that the superintendent position would be vacant starting June 1, 2012, the members began the process of determining how the new leader of the District would be selected. Over the past five months, the Board members deliberated on the selection process and consulted with experts in the field about the level of candidates available. In addition, the members reviewed the characteristics and qualities District staff and the Naperville community had indicated they value during past superintendent searches.
“The number one priority of the Board of Education has been to determine the optimum process to find the best possible person for the superintendency of our District,” said Board president Mike Jaensch. “Because of previous decisions to build a strong succession plan, we had an extremely qualified and talented leader in-house who we felt was able to lead the District in an interim role while we carefully considered the best way forward… As these discussions matured, we realized we had the perfect person right in front of us.”
Dan Bridges joined District 203 in June 2011 as the Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education. His experiences in a large school district, West Aurora 129, as a senior high, junior high and elementary school principal and athletic director provided the District with a well-rounded addition to the leadership team. During his first year, Bridges established the Tip203 anonymous reporting hotline, oversaw the principal evaluation process related to school reform Senate Bill 7 and was a key facilitator for the Enrollment Capacity Study committee.
“I am grateful to the Board of Education for their confidence in me to continue leading our school District,” stated Bridges. “I am honored to work with incredible people every day who care deeply about our students.”
Bridges reiterated that his focus will be on implementing effective practices that promote learning for all students. He emphasized that this requires deliberate collaboration among staff and meaningful partnerships with parents and community.
A reception to introduce the new superintendent will be held on Tues., Sept. 4, prior to the Board of Education meeting. Details will be announced at a later time.
About Dan Bridges
Superintendent Dan Bridges joined Naperville Community Unit School District 203 in July 2011 as the Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education after a lengthy career in West Aurora School District 129 where he held a number of leadership positions, including principal at each the elementary, junior high and high school levels and district athletic director. During his first year in District 203, Bridges established an anonymous reporting hotline for students and parents, oversaw the principal evaluation process related to school reform Senate Bill 7, and was a key facilitator for the enrollment capacity and school boundary review process. Known as a collaborative, positive leader, Bridges works to bring out the best in his staff. He recognizes people as individuals and has the capacity to tackle complex issues. Bridges is in the process of completing his doctorate in Educational Administration from Northern Illinois University and holds an endorsement for superintendent from the State of Illinois. He has a Bachelors degree in History and Secondary Education from Millikin University, a Masters degree in Educational Leadership from Aurora University, and an Ed.S. in Educational Administration from NIU. Bridges and his wife, Jill, have two children, Sean (12) and Sara (9). They currently reside in Geneva, Illinois.
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