HP_011917

12 | January 19, 2017 | The highland park landmark news
hplandmark.com
D34 hires Delli as next superintendent
Neil Milbert
Freelance Reporter
After receiving
applications
from 52
people since
beginning
the search
process Delli
last spring,
the Glenview District 34
Board of Education has
hired Dane Delli as its new
superintendent of schools.
The hiring of Delli, who
has served as superintendent
of Mount Prospect’s
River Trails School District
26 since July 2007, to
oversee the six District 34
schools was unanimously
approved at a special meeting
of the board on Thursday,
Jan. 12.
The Highland Park resident
has a three-year contract
with an annual base
salary of $245,000 that
extends from July 1, 2017,
through June 30, 2020.
“Our meeting is absolutely
a celebration because
we bring our search for a
new superintendent to a
successful conclusion,”
said Board President Cathe
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Russe. “He has all the right
qualities and characteristics
to best meet the needs of
our school community.
“This was an extremely
detailed process. We could
not have done it without the
support and collaboration
of people in this community.
We hired an outside
search firm, School Exec
Connect, we had an extensive
on-line survey and we
had 16 focus groups in the
community.”
The 52 applicants were
narrowed down to a group
of six finalists. After these
six were interviewed, the
list of candidates was shortened
to three for a second
interview. Then the board
recruited a confidential select
group of stake-holders
in the community that met
three times to weigh the
merits of the candidates
and provide the board with
further input.
“It was through the input
of parents, staff and
members of the community,
as well as the work of
the confidential committee,
that we feel confident
in our decision to hire Dr.
Delli,” Russe said. “Dr.
Delli was the clear choice
to the Board of Education
because of his proven track
record of success, strong
leadership qualities, effective
communication skills
and clear understanding of
instruction and the qualities
of state-of-the-art curriculum.
He comes with a
wealth of experience. He
places a strong importance
on collaboration and team
building in order to effectively
work with the board,
administrative team, staff
and community.”
Prior to officially going
on the job on July 1, Delli
will work closely with the
interim superintendents,
Griff Powell and Patricia
Wernet, to ensure a smooth
transition. The interim superintendents
were hired
after Mike Nicholson announced
his resignation in
May with one year remaining
on his contract to become
the district’s executive
director of assessment,
analytics and instructional
support.
“The first and most fundamental
step in this transitional
process is getting
to know me,” Delli told the
board. “I feel very honored
that you have chosen me
and entrusted me in this
very important position at
this very important time.
We’ve met at just the right
time. I feel fortunate to
serve a district with such
passionate dedicated teachers
and an involved and
supportive parent community.
I look forward to this
relationship for many years
to come. I will not disappoint
you.”
Delli has worked at all
levels of education —
pre-school through college
— for more than 25
years. Prior to becoming
superintendent of the River
Trails, he spent time as a
high school teacher, middle
school principal, high
school principal, assistant
superintendent and university
professor.
A native of the Cleveland
metropolitan area, he
earned a Ph.D and M.A.
in educational leadership
from Ohio State University
after receiving a M.S.
degree in education from
John Carroll and a B.S.
degree in English education
from Bowling Green.
He has published research
in human resource administration
and has been
a speaker and presented
research findings at more
than 20 national and state
level conferences.
During his 10 years at
River Trails, Delli formulated
two multi-year strategic
plans and negotiated
three contract bargaining
agreements.
Although Glenview District
34 is significantly larger
than River Trails District
26, Delli doesn’t anticipate
any adjustment problems
in overseeing Attea, Henking,
Glen Grove, Hoffman,
Lyon and Pleasant Ridge
schools.
“My approach to leadership
is independent of the
size of the district,” he said.
“At River Trails, I wore
many hats. I won’t have
to do that here. I’ll have
resources here that I don’t
have there.”
Accompanying Delli
to the special meeting at
which his hiring was approved
by the board were
his wife, Leeann, a kindergarten
teacher in Lincolnshire;
their son, Gabe,
a sophomore at Highland
Park High School; and
their daughters, Elizabeth,
a seventh grader at Edgewood
School, and Emma,
a fourth grader at Ravinia
School.
In addition to receiving
his base salary the new superintendent
will be compensated
for transitional
days at District 34 between
Jan. 13 and June 30. The
compensation will be in the
form of up to nine additional
personal days to be used
throughout the three-year
contract.
The board will pay the
superintendent’s required
contributions to the Teachers’
Retirement System at
an amount not to exceed
9 percent of his creditable
earnings and to the Teacher
Health Security Fund at
an amount not to exceed
1.12 percent of his creditable
earnings. Full family
medical benefits also will
be paid by the board and a
$10,000 annual contribution
will be made to a taxsheltered
annuity account.
No automobile allowance
will be provided. For
out of district travel, Delli
will be reimbursed at the
federal government rate.
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