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Central CUSD 301 names two retired superintendents as interim co‑superintendents
Summary
The Central Community Unit School District 301 board introduced Dr. Griff Powell and Dr. Kyle Schumacher as interim co‑superintendents to serve through June 2026 while the district conducts a national search for a permanent superintendent.
The Central Community Unit School District 301 Board of Education introduced Dr. Griff Powell and Dr. Kyle Schumacher as interim co‑superintendents on Feb. 26, following a selection process led with assistance from the Illinois Association of School Boards.
The board said the pair will share duties to provide continuous leadership while the district conducts a search for a permanent superintendent; Powell will work Mondays and Wednesdays, Schumacher will work Tuesdays and Thursdays, and they will alternate Fridays. The interims are scheduled to serve through June 2026, with a 30‑day termination clause in their contracts if the board decides to make a change.
The board president said the district moved quickly after the departure of the former superintendent to identify experienced, short‑term leaders. The board engaged the Illinois Association of School Boards to present candidates, conducted initial interviews via two board representatives and then held broader panel interviews with district office staff and building leaders before selecting finalists.
Dr. Griff Powell, who described himself in the meeting as “in education for half a century” and a superintendent for more than 30 years, said the two‑person arrangement was chosen to maintain daily continuity in district operations. “When I finish on a Monday, my handoff to Kyle will be so seamless that everything that's brought up on Monday he will be fully aware of when he walks in on Tuesday,” Powell said. He described the arrangement as a cost‑saving measure compared with hiring a single full‑time interim and said the saved funds would be used for the permanent superintendent search.
Dr. Kyle Schumacher, a 12‑year superintendent who described this as his first interim role, said he and Powell will focus on supporting staff and maintaining day‑to‑day operations while the board and community complete a collaborative search process. The board indicated it plans to hold focus groups in the fall to gather community input about the district’s priorities for a permanent superintendent and anticipated a broader national candidate pool in the autumn.
The board emphasized that the interim appointments were intended to stabilize district leadership without adding material long‑term cost. The board noted retired superintendents are limited by state pension rules to a maximum number of paid service days per year; the dual‑interim plan was presented as a way to provide near‑full coverage without violating those limits.
Board members said the interims will not lead the permanent search; their charge is to maintain district operations and support staff so the board and community—through planned focus groups and an advertised search—can select finalists later in the year.
The board also noted that if the incoming board after the next election determines a change is needed, the 30‑day clause allows for mutual termination of the interim contracts.
The interims visited multiple schools the week of their appointment and met district staff as part of their onboarding.
Ending: The board framed the co‑interim model as a temporary, lower‑cost approach designed to keep schools operating while the board and community complete a comprehensive search for a permanent superintendent. No additional hiring action for a permanent superintendent was taken at the Feb. 26 meeting.
