21085 LM Summer 2021_hi

After Difficult School Year, Are Illinois Superintendents Opting Out?

By Jason Nevel IASA Director of Social Media and Publications As she retires from her role as superintendent of Bement CUSD #5, the next seat Dr. Sheila Greenwood sits in could get pretty wet. After 33 years in education—including arguably the most difficult year superintendents have ever faced—Dr. Greenwood’s first order of business in retirement is spending more time paddling her new kayak.

The article noted the departures of superintendents from the top spots in large cities—including the largest three, New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago—but also in many midsize and smaller districts in suburban and rural areas. In Illinois, it’s too early to say how much of an overall impact the pandemic will have on the number of superintendents

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“I’m going to take the month off in July to just chill,” Dr. Greenwood says. “Then, I’m going to look at my options for the fall and decide the next route for me.” Dr. Greenwood was among the group of superintendents who set the retirement date of June 30, 2021, before the pandemic hit. But for others, the pandemic—and the stress it caused on superintendents—undoubtedly altered career plans. The Washington Post recently wrote an article with the headline, “As difficult school year ends, school superintendents are opting out.”

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LM Summer 2021