Superintendent Search

September 15, 2026

Dear William Penn School District Community,

We are pleased to announce that the search for the next Superintendent of Schools for the William Penn School District is officially underway.

Selecting a superintendent is among the most important responsibilities of the Board of School Directors. We recognize the lasting impact this decision will have on our students, staff, families, and community, and we are committed to conducting a search process that is thoughtful, inclusive, and responsive to the priorities of the William Penn School District.

To assist with this important work, the Board has partnered with the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) to conduct a comprehensive and confidential superintendent search. Over the coming months, the Board and CCIU search team will work together to identify an exceptional leader who can build upon the district’s strengths and help guide William Penn into its next chapter.

Community Engagement

A strong search process begins with listening. While the recruitment of candidates is already underway, the Board wants to hear directly from those who know William Penn School District best, including students, families, staff, and community members.

Over the coming weeks, the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) will facilitate a series of stakeholder focus groups and a community survey designed to gather feedback about the district’s strengths, opportunities, challenges, and priorities for future leadership. This input will help shape the superintendent leadership profile, candidate evaluation criteria, and interview questions used throughout the selection process.

To encourage open and honest dialogue, Board members and district administrators will not participate in the focus groups. Instead, CCIU representatives will facilitate discussions and compile feedback in aggregate form to protect participant anonymity.

Specific information regarding focus group opportunities, survey participation, dates, times, and registration details will be shared in a future communication. We encourage stakeholders to watch for those upcoming opportunities to provide input.

Process and Confidentiality

The Board is committed to keeping stakeholders informed throughout the search process. Regular updates will be shared through district communication channels and posted on the district website as key milestones are reached.

At the same time, maintaining confidentiality is essential to attracting the strongest possible pool of candidates. Many highly qualified educational leaders are currently serving in other districts and may be reluctant to pursue new opportunities if their interest becomes public. For that reason, candidate identities and interview materials will remain confidential throughout the search process, with access limited to the Board of School Directors and the CCIU search team.

Next Steps

Candidate recruitment has begun with an application deadline of October 25. Following the stakeholder engagement process, the Board and CCIU search team will finalize the leadership profile and use community feedback to inform candidate evaluations and interview questions.

The Board will then begin interviewing candidates whose qualifications, experience, leadership capabilities, and educational vision align with the priorities identified by the William Penn community. The most qualified candidates will advance through multiple rounds of interviews before the Board selects the district’s next superintendent.

The Board anticipates completing the search process by early December 2026, with the goal of welcoming the district’s next superintendent during the first quarter of 2027.

Throughout this process, we remain committed to listening, communicating, and keeping our community informed. We look forward to working together to identify a leader who will support our students, empower our staff, and strengthen the future of William Penn School District.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support.

Sincerely,

Board of School Directors
William Penn School District

We understand that some stakeholders may wonder why candidate names are not shared publicly.

A confidential search helps William Penn attract the strongest and most diverse pool of qualified candidates. Many successful superintendents and senior educational leaders are currently serving in other districts. Public disclosure of their interest in another position could impact their current professional relationships and discourage them from participating in the search.

Maintaining confidentiality allows the Board to consider highly qualified candidates who might otherwise not apply, while ensuring a fair and professional process for all applicants.

We recognize that many community members would like the opportunity to meet the candidates being considered for this important leadership role.

However, this search will be conducted as a confidential process. Candidate identities will not be shared publicly, and community meetings with candidates will not be part of the search.

Confidentiality is a common practice in superintendent searches and helps attract the strongest possible candidate pool. Many qualified educational leaders are currently employed in other school districts and may be unlikely to apply if their interest in another position could become public knowledge.

While community members will not meet candidates directly, the feedback gathered through focus groups and surveys will help shape the criteria and questions used to evaluate them.

The Board of School Directors believes that a strong superintendent search begins with listening. Students, families, staff, and community members will have opportunities to participate in stakeholder focus groups and a community survey.

These engagement opportunities are designed to gather perspectives on the district’s strengths, challenges, opportunities, and the leadership qualities stakeholders would like to see in the next superintendent. Feedback collected through this process will help shape the superintendent leadership profile, candidate evaluation criteria, and interview questions used throughout the search.

Additional information regarding opportunities to participate, including dates, times, and registration details, will be shared in a future communication.

We understand that stakeholders want to know how their voices will influence the process and whether their participation will make a difference.

Feedback collected through focus groups and surveys will be reviewed and summarized by the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) and shared with the Board of School Directors. The Board will use this information to identify the qualities, experiences, leadership characteristics, and priorities that are most important to the William Penn community.

While community members will not be involved in interviewing candidates or making the final selection, stakeholder feedback will play a meaningful role in shaping how candidates are evaluated throughout the search process.

To encourage open and honest participation, all focus group and survey feedback will be reported in aggregate form and will not be attributed to individual participants.

The final decision regarding the selection of the next superintendent rests with the William Penn School District Board of School Directors.

As elected representatives of the community, Board members are entrusted with making important decisions on behalf of the district, including the selection of its chief educational leader. The Board takes this responsibility seriously and recognizes the importance of choosing a superintendent who reflects the needs, values, and aspirations of the William Penn community.

Throughout the search process, Board members will consider candidate qualifications, leadership experience, stakeholder feedback, and alignment with the district’s priorities. While community members will not participate in candidate interviews or the final selection, the feedback gathered through focus groups and surveys will play an important role in informing the Board’s decision-making process.

The William Penn School District has partnered with the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) to facilitate and support the superintendent search process.

The CCIU’s role includes assisting with candidate recruitment, facilitating stakeholder focus groups and surveys, managing the search process, conducting preliminary background reviews, and supporting the Board throughout the search. The CCIU also helps ensure that community feedback is gathered and incorporated into the development of the superintendent leadership profile and interview process.

All applications received during the search are shared directly with the Board of School Directors for review and consideration. The Board determines which candidates advance through the interview process and ultimately selects the district’s next superintendent.

As candidates progress through the search, the CCIU provides additional information to support the Board’s decision-making, including background reviews and, for the finalist, comprehensive reference and credential checks. The CCIU’s role is to provide information, facilitate the process, and support the Board’s work, not to make recommendations regarding the final selection.

The Board of School Directors remains solely responsible for choosing the next superintendent.

The Board of School Directors anticipates completing the search process by December 2026, with the goal of welcoming the district’s next superintendent during the first quarter of 2027.

While specific dates may be adjusted as needed, the anticipated timeline includes the following key milestones:

• September 15, 2026: Superintendent position posted and recruitment efforts begin.
• September 21 – October 23, 2026: Community engagement period, including stakeholder focus groups and a districtwide survey.
• October 25, 2026: Application window closes.
• November 2026: Board of School Directors reviews applications and conducts multiple rounds of candidate interviews.
• December 14, 2026: Anticipated Board action to appoint the next superintendent.
• First Quarter 2027: Anticipated start date for the new superintendent.

Community engagement and candidate recruitment will occur simultaneously to ensure the Board can attract a strong pool of qualified applicants while also gathering stakeholder feedback to inform candidate evaluations and interview questions. Updates will be shared throughout the process as key milestones are reached.

Search updates will be shared through district communication channels and posted on the district website throughout the process. Community members are encouraged to monitor district communications for important announcements and upcoming participation opportunities.