Superintendent – South Holland, IL

Job Description

ECHO Joint Agreement
South Holland, IL
www.ECHOja.org

The ECHO Joint Agreement is a Special Education cooperative of 17 school districts (15 elementary and two high school districts) providing services to approximately 1,000 students with disabilities in south Cook County, Illinois.

Between the home school district and the ECHO Cooperative, a continuum of services is provided to all students with disabilities, ages birth through 22. While school districts provide special education and related services to the majority of students with disabilities, ECHO serves as an extension to each school district, providing programs and services for students with moderate and severe disabilities, and for students whose behavior requires additional support and interventions. ECHO also operates specialized programs for students with severe hearing, vision, and orthopedic/physical disabilities.

The philosophy of the Cooperative is to serve as a partner with districts, parents, and the community in providing equal educational opportunities to all students regardless of their needs. ECHO promotes that to the greatest extent possible; students are educated in their home districts or as close to the students’ homes as possible.

Qualifications

• Illinois Professional Educator License with Director of Special Education, and General Administrative/Principal Endorsements
• Illinois Professional Educator License with Superintendent Endorsement

Preferred Qualification(s)

• Illinois Chief School Business Official (CSBO) Endorsement and/or proven successful experience with district/organization financials, budget, and overall operational excellence
• Exceptional knowledge of federal and Illinois state laws in special education, including funding systems and regulations, and policies.
• Proven capabilities and skills of the Core Competencies and Executive Skills (See below)

Duties
The full-time Superintendent’s office is located at the Dr. Debra Parrish-Hooks Administrative Center and reports to the ECHO Joint Agreement Board of Directors. The leader will serve as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Special Education Cooperative, overseeing all aspects of its operations from academic performance and budget management to strategic planning, community engagement, facility maintenance, governance, and policy implementation. The
Superintendent shall ensure a high-quality education for students and be recognized as the State Approved Director of Special Education for the member districts, with deep knowledge of the special education landscape, coupled with proven successful executive leadership experience. Applicants will create a cover letter and show proven capacity in the following areas;

Core Competencies

• Visionary Special Education Leader with a Student Focus. Deep knowledge of the special education landscape, experience in program evaluation, and strategic alignment with organizational goals.
• Communication & Stakeholder Relations. Excellence in transparent, timely communication across all organizational levels while building positive relationships with diverse constituent groups
• Personnel Development. Proven capacity in building training programs, maintaining optimal staffing levels, and building cohesive, high-performing teams across diverse educational environments, including experience implementing staff retention strategies.
• Financial Management & Operational Excellence Expertise in developing internal controls, optimizing operational efficiency with the ability to meet stakeholder and user needs.
• Board Relations & Governance Understanding of transparent and effective board engagement strategies with experience in educational governance structures and advocacy

Executive Leadership Skills

• Empathic, ethical, and bold leader with proven skills in advancing positive culture and climate
• A strategic and timely communicator who can proactively communicate across multiple buildings and districts with command
• Collaborative leader who also delegates appropriately
• Student-centered advocate and servant educational leader
• Strong business operational skills

Compensation and Benefits
A regionally competitive salary range of $200,000, commensurate with experience, and a comprehensive benefits package.

Application Requirements/Timeline
Please submit a cover letter stating why you are seeking this position that aligns with the Leadership Profile. A résumé, three professional references containing full contact information, and a maximum of two pages (12 pt, double-spaced) written response to “ECHO Joint Agreement Superintendent’s First 100-Day Plan.” Applications will be reviewed and evaluated upon receipt, with an anticipated
start date of July 1, 2025.

Please contact the HYA Associates listed below if you have any questions. Do not contact the Board of Directors or other school district officials.

EMSA & ECHO Joint Agreement provides equal employment opportunities for all applicants and employees and prohibits discrimination with respect to the hiring or promotion of individuals, conditions of employment, disciplinary and discharge practices, or any other aspect of employment on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, disability, or any other factor which cannot lawfully be used as a basis for an employment decision.

How to apply for this job?

1. Register for an account on the HYA website. Or, log in to the HYA website if you already have an account created. Click the Login/Register button at the top of the page to get started.
2. After logging in, click the Apply Now button at the top of this page.
3. You will be redirected to the Frontline Education website. This website is where you will submit your application. This website also will require its own unique login and password.