Evanston/Skokie School District 65 has outlined its process for finding a permanent superintendent, with the district planning to hire a search consultant to identify candidates, according to a Tuesday, July 21, report by Evanston Now journalist Jeff Hirsh.

The update signals the search is actively moving forward. Board President Nichole Pinkard and Vice President Chris Van Nostrand first announced the district's intent to issue a Request for Proposals for a search firm in a June 23 community letter, promising a detailed timeline "in the coming weeks." That letter described the planned search as "public, transparent" and "representative of stakeholders across our community."

The timeline carries real pressure. Interim Superintendent Dr. Eric Witherspoon's appointment runs only through Wednesday, December 31, 2026. Under Illinois law, retired administrators serving in interim roles are subject to a 100-day term limit, according to the Chicago Tribune. Witherspoon, who served as superintendent of Evanston Township High School from 2006 until his retirement in 2022, took over July 1.

The search comes amid significant leadership turnover at District 65, which serves approximately 7,500 pre-K through eighth-grade students. Superintendent Dr. Angel Turner's departure took effect June 30 under a mutual separation agreement approved at the board's Monday, June 22, meeting. Turner received a $191,000 lump sum plus payment for unused vacation days. Board member Andrew Wymer, the sole dissenting vote, called it "a hard financial decision" at that meeting.

Turner's exit followed the resignations of several other cabinet-level administrators at the end of the 2025-26 school year, including Chief Financial Officer Tamara Mitchell, Assistant Superintendent Katie Speth, and Director of Schools Management Charmekia McCoy. The board hired Eric Miller as the new CFO effective July 1.

No deadline for search firm proposals or dates for community input sessions have been publicly announced. The district's December 31 end date for Witherspoon's interim term sets the outer boundary for the search.