Sycamore School District 427 heard results of a leadership profile and stakeholder survey Sept. 30 as consultants from Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates presented findings that will shape the district’s superintendent search. The consultants said about 449 stakeholders responded to the survey and that focus groups and school visits informed the qualitative report.

The consultants told the board the survey ranked the district highly for school safety, technology infrastructure and extracurricular offerings, while two areas — perceived transparency of district communications and confidence that the district is financially responsible — rated substantially lower. The presenters said the qualitative feedback pointed to uneven academic programming across buildings, a lack of a single shared vision, and requests for stronger performance management and accountability.

Why it matters: the profile will be used to revise the district’s superintendent posting and screening criteria and to recruit candidates who match the community’s priorities. Consultants said they plan “aggressive recruiting” once the board endorses the updated profile and that a first slate of candidates is tentatively scheduled for an early November meeting.

Most stakeholders who participated described the district as a close-knit community and praised staff commitment. But the consultants summarized recurring concerns: inconsistent student experiences across elementary schools, unclear curriculum cycles, principals stretched by crisis response duties, rising needs for student support services (including services for neurodiverse students), and perceived gaps between public-facing materials and day-to-day realities.

On desired superintendent qualities, respondents prioritized transparent communications, the ability to foster a positive professional climate, talent recruitment and retention, visibility in the community, and a record of fiscal and operational expertise. The consultants said the search posting will require applicants to demonstrate evidence of core competencies (a portfolio) and that candidates will be asked to show documented examples during screening interviews.

Board members and the consultants discussed logistics for the search: candidate portfolios will be used in initial screening; a secure online portal will be opened approximately two weeks into recruiting for board review; and the consultants asked the board to provide a “blessing” on the profile so recruiting can proceed. The consultants told the board they expected to provide a slate of finalists in early November.

The consultants also emphasized stakeholder desire for concrete results. “Your stakeholders want action. They don’t want talk. They want action,” one presenter said, summarizing repeated comments to the firm.

The presentation generated multiple follow-up items board members flagged for future agendas, including curriculum consistency, academic credit comparators for the high school, compensation and benefits alignment, facility condition concerns at the high school, and possible governance workshops to align board policy and strategic direction.

The consultants identified next steps: finalize the executive skills profile and posting language, open the candidate portal to the board, and begin targeted recruiting. The presenters said they will provide the board with regular updates and a full candidate profile before finalists are shared during a scheduled board meeting.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this article appear in the meeting record and include consultants from Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates and multiple board members; direct quotes in this story come from the consultants’ presentation and are attributed to the presenters listed below.