D-205 Finalist Names To Be Kept Secret

ELMHURST, IL — Elmhurst School District 205 plans to keep the names of the finalists in its superintendent search a secret.

To that, many people may ask, "So what? That's the way it's always been done."

In Illinois, they would largely be right. School boards have a choice whether to release the information to the public and nearly always opt for secrecy.

In other states, including Wisconsin, Colorado and New Mexico, school boards are required to release the names of finalists. The idea is to allow the public to scrutinize the finalists' records and ultimately determine whether school board members made the right choice.

In Elmhurst, the board has hired Oak Park-based School Exec Connect to handle the search.

"The search is a confidential one, so the finalists' names will not be published," the district's spokeswoman, Beverly Redmond, said in an email to Patch. "Therefore, the stakeholder interviews also are confidential, after which the Board of Education will select a final candidate."

Proponents of secrecy say disclosure of finalists' names may dissuade some from applying, fearing their bosses may become upset if they are looking around.

Last week, the board for Lyons Township High School in La Grange and Western Springs selected a new superintendent, Brian Waterman, the school's principal. The district did not release the finalists' names.

In Elmhurst, Superintendent Dave Moyer plans to take a superintendent's job in Upstate New York in July.