McCarthy's Days As Superintendent Are Numbered: Agenda

JOLIET, IL - Joliet Township High School Superintendent Cheryl McCarthy has led District 204 since her internal promotion by the school board in 2010. McCarthy has spent her entire career as an educator and administrator employed by District 204. She started as a math teacher at Joliet West in 1986. As of Monday, McCarthy has not issued any statements about changing jobs or plans to retire.

However, the agenda for Tuesday night's monthly school board meeting includes an item under New Business identified as "Superintendent Search presentation."

The school board is slated to hear from Thomas Madden, a representative of the search firm School Exec Connect, headquartered in Edina, Minn.

If you're interested in attending, the meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the Administrative Center Board Room, 300 Caterpillar Drive, the former Joliet Herald-News building.

The school board packet includes a letter sent on March 23 to Jeff Pierson, Joliet Township School Board president, from Ken Dragseth, president of School Exec Connect.

"Our firm prides itself on providing a quality search process that will result in a great leader for the Joliet Township High School District 204," the letter reads. "School Exec Connect, founded in 2004, is in its fourteenth year."

According to the agenda, Tom Madden, retired superintendent from Lemont Township High School District, is expected to address the board and their answer questions. Madden is one of the local representatives of the Midwest-based superintendent search firm that informed Joliet Township it has handled "more than 340 searches throughout Mid-America."

The consulting firm has proposed a fee of $16,900 for its work, plus expenses not to exceed $1,600. Advertising costs would be paid by District 204.

"After the candidate pool has been presented to the board, the district incurs the costs of the search for the candidates. This may include mileage, meals, lodging, etc.," School Exec Connect's memo states.

In August and September, the consultants would help Joliet Township develop a new superintendent profile. An applicant pool would be assembled between September and November. In December, the school board would select candidates, negotiate and take action on the new superintendent's contract for District 204.

"In the event that the first slate of candidates does not include a superintendent the board wishes to hire, the consultants will continue to bring candidates forward for actual expenses only until the board has found a superintendent to whom they wish to offer a contract. No additional consulting fees will be charged," the proposal from School Exec Connect states.

Image of Superintendent Cheryl McCarthy via District 204