The search for someone to lead Sycamore schools will continue Sept. 18, when the national firm hired by the district plans to host a public forum on plans to find the next superintendent.

Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates will host a forum from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 18 in the Sycamore High School auditorium.

In response to a request for comment from Shaw Local News Network, Sycamore School District 427 Board President Michael DeVito said the event is being held to make sure the community’s voices shape the decision-making process behind picking a new superintendent.

“We want to hear directly from parents, staff, students and community members about the qualities and priorities they believe are most important in our next leader,” DeVito said. “That feedback helps ensure the search reflects the needs and aspirations of the Sycamore community, not just the board’s perspective.”

The search for a new superintendent began after a special District 427 board meeting Aug. 1, during which the present board members unanimously voted to separate from former Superintendent Steve Wilder.

Although Wilder was removed from the superintendent role, he still will be paid by the district through March 31. Details on the board’s rationale have remained sparse, even as the board faced public criticism of the decision. Wilder and the board have said the decision was mutual.

With Wilder on paid leave when the school year began in late August, Nick Reineck, assistant superintendent for human resources and educational programs, has been named District 427’s interim superintendent.

The Sept. 18 forum isn’t the only way the Sycamore schools community can contribute to the conversation. District 427 and HYA also are conducting a stakeholders survey to better understand the community’s desires for the position.

DeVito said the survey and public forum are essential parts of the process of picking Sycamore’s next superintendent.

“They create a broad base of input that HYA will synthesize into a leadership profile, which will guide candidate recruitment and selection,” DeVito wrote.

DeVito, who as board president has the ability to set the agenda of the school board, said he plans to call a special meeting Sept. 30 to formally approve the leadership profile used for the candidate search.

“The more perspectives we gather, the better positioned we are to identify a superintendent who can advance our district’s mission of empowering all learners to succeed in their world,” DeVito said.