District 65 families can weigh in on who should lead the district starting Tuesday, Oct. 20, when the first of three public feedback sessions opens at Chute Middle School.

The sessions come one week after administrators proposed roughly $20 million in budget cuts, including closing Dewey and Lincolnwood elementary schools and eliminating the School Age Child Care (SACC) program. Board President Nichole Pinkard and Vice President Chris Van Nostrand told the Evanston RoundTable on Monday, Oct. 19, that the financial restructuring is deliberate: they want the next superintendent to inherit a stable budget.

Van Nostrand said the board wants a superintendent who can focus on vision, strategy and academic excellence, with "a settled and a stable financial budget to work with."

The board hired Chicago-based Alma Advisory Group in August to lead the search. According to an Alma presentation, the board plans to interview finalists in December and January and announce a hire by February at the latest. The new superintendent would take over July 1, 2027.

Interim Superintendent Eric Witherspoon, the former Evanston Township High School District 202 superintendent, is serving through Jan. 31, 2027. He replaced Superintendent Angel Turner, who reached a mutual separation agreement with the board in June 2026.

How to participate

All three sessions run 6 to 8 p.m. with Spanish interpretation available:

  • Tuesday, Oct. 20: Chute Middle School, 1400 Oakton St.
  • Wednesday, Oct. 21: Foster Elementary School, 1600 Simpson St.
  • Thursday, Oct. 22: Nichols Middle School, 800 Greenleaf St.

Registration is optional.

A virtual session is also planned, though details have not been announced. Residents who cannot attend in person can fill out the superintendent search survey, available in English and Spanish through Oct. 30. Results go directly to Alma Advisory Group, which will present them to the board.

The 'dream job' pitch

Both board leaders acknowledged the tension between the proposed cuts and the search for a permanent leader. Pinkard said the community needs to look past the current moment.

"The narrative right now is about the cuts, and what are we doing? But we need the community to help us communicate that we're looking forward, and that we're able to do that," Pinkard said.

Van Nostrand argued that Evanston's engaged parents, diverse community and proximity to a world-class university make the position attractive. He called it a "dream job" for the right candidate.

The RoundTable reported that some parents have expressed concern that the district's public feedback sessions are performative rather than practical. When asked how the board would ensure community input shapes the search, Pinkard and Van Nostrand did not directly address the question. Van Nostrand said the board's challenge is translating a wide range of views into a single job description.

Administrators proposed that the board vote on the budget plan at its Nov. 9 meeting. If approved, mandated school closure hearings would follow in December.