Cary School District 26 has announced who will be its new superintendent.
The Cary Community Consolidated School District 26 board unanimously approved the selection of Sarah Cacciatore as the district’s superintendent Monday. Cacciatore will start July 1 after a months-long, nationwide search, according to district documents.
The approval comes after a national search conducted with Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, according to a District 26 news release. During the search process, the district engaged with teachers, support staff, parents, administrators and community members.
“After an extensive and highly competitive search process, the board is confident that Dr. Cacciatore is the right leader to guide our district forward,” Board President Dee Darling said in the release. “She brings a strong record of instructional leadership and a deep understanding of how to build trusting partnerships with staff, students, families and the community.”
The board evaluated a dozen applicants from a pool of 37, and interviewed six candidates before narrowing the search to three finalists.
Since 2023, Cacciatore served as the deputy superintendent for Mundelein’s Elementary School District 75 and Mundelein High School District 120 “where she has led initiatives in literacy improvement, staff development, leadership development and teacher evaluation,” District 26 officials said in the release.
She has an education doctorate’s degree in curriculum leadership from Northern Illinois University, and a total of 23 years experience in public education.
“I am honored to be selected as the next superintendent of Cary Community Consolidated School District 26,” Cacciatore said in the release. “This district’s dedication to its students and community is evident, and I look forward to partnering with the board, staff and families to continue building on the district’s strengths and accomplishing the goals outlined in the leadership profile and the strategic plan.”
According to district documents, Cacciatore will have a three-year contract starting at a $200,000 annual salary and 20 vacation days each year. The contract states annual raises will be no less that 2% and no greater than 5% of the previous year’s salary.
The board also approved the appointment of Kristen Bordonaro as assistant superintendent of special services, relieving interim Kimberly Dahlem on June 30. Bordonaro currently serves as the Director of Specialized Programs for Wauconda School District 118.
Bordonaro has a single-year contract with an annual salary of $120,000, according to district documents.
The superintendent search started in May of last year after former Superintendent Brandon White announced he was moving to serve at Harvard School District 50 starting last July. During the search, Jennifer Thomas served as the interim superintendent.
“We deeply appreciate the engagement of our community throughout this process,” Darling said in the release. “Their feedback was instrumental in helping the board understand the leadership qualities most valued in our next superintendent.”