The search for a new school superintendent for Lyons Township High School District 204 got started in earnest last week. The consultants leading the search to find a replacement for Dennis Kelly, who is retiring at the end of the 2008-09 school year, held a series of meetings last week at LT with various groups to try and find out what the school and community are looking for in a new superintendent.

The two consultants heading the search are Gerald Chapman, who served for 11 years as the superintendent of Palatine High School District 211, and David Smith, a former superintendent at Lake Park High School District 108 in Roselle. They work for the firm of Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates which is based in Glenview.

On April 2, Chapman and Smith held an open meeting for the community. Only nine people showed up, but they spent an hour listening to comments about LT.

The next day they spent the day at LT’s two campuses, meeting with various employee groups and with two groups of students.

“We had very good meetings and found people very responsive,” said Chapman.

On the night of April 3, Chapman and Smith planned to meet with community leaders who were invited to come to LT, but no community leaders showed up, they said.

At the April 2 meeting, Chapman and Smith explained the search process. After meeting with school and community groups and tabulating the results of surveys that can be filled out on the LT website, the consultants will develop a leadership profile of the qualities most desired in a new superintendent.

They will deliver that profile and present a written and oral report to the District 204 school board at its May 19 meeting.

After they determine what they are looking for the consultants will begin a nationwide search in the summer and fall.

They plan to present perhaps four to six candidates to the school board by November. The board will interview the finalists and could make its decision by Christmas.

Chapman and Smith are not finished meeting with people and gathering information. Last night they met with the athletic boosters, and they will meet with the LT Community Advisory Council on April 16. On May 7 they will meet with the Parent Teacher Council.

They said that the LTHS job is a plum position, and even though it is getting increasingly difficult to attract people to take on the superintendent role, LT should have no trouble attracting superb applicants.

“It’s not hard to attract people to high-quality districts,” said Smith.

They admit the applicant pool is probably not as big as it once was.

“It was nothing to get 60 applicants,” said Chapman, of the old days. “Those days are gone. We can find quality people. It’s just not as easy.”

The consultants pointed out that anyone LT probably would want already has a good job. It will be up to them to find the right applicants and to persuade them to apply for the job.

“It’s not only about going out and seeking applications,” said Smith. “It’s about aggressive recruitment. A suitable candidate is probably suitably positioned and will have to be recruited away.”

But Smith said that would not be that hard to do.

“This is a great job, frankly,” said Smith

At the meeting last week concern was expressed that LT lags in using technology in education. Concerns were also expressed that LT needs to focus on coordinating curriculum with its feeder schools.

Dave May, a member of Brookfield- LaGrange Elementary School District 102 attended the meeting last week. He knows what he is looking for in a new superintendent.

“I hope they can find a guy who can work with everybody, a team builder, a collaborator,” said May.