District 200 Superintendent Announces Retirement

District 200 Superintendent Gary T. Catalani announced Wednesday that he plans to retire at the end of the 2006-07 school year after eight years as the District’s educational leader.   He said he made the announcement now to give the Board of Education ample time to select his successor.

“It has been an absolute honor and privilege to be the Superintendent in District 200,” he said following his announcement. “ The very qualities that attracted me to the District nearly seven years ago—dedicated teachers, outstanding parents, motivated students, and a supportive community—are the same ones that describe the District today and make it such a great place to be an educator.”

Dr. Catalani, 54, said he and his wife plan to relocate to another state following his retirement in June 2007.  Although he said they have no specific plans, they would like to leave the Midwest winters behind and enjoy a more moderate climate year round.

Board President Andy Johnson said the Board will decide in the next month or so the process it will use to select Dr. Catalani’s successor.  “His will be hard shoes to fill.  But we believe District 200 is the kind of school district serving the kind of communities that will attract applicants who can build on the accomplishments that have occurred under Dr. Catalani’s leadership.”

Key among those accomplishments, Mr. Johnson said, are an increase in student achievement and a relationship with the staff and community that is built on trust, integrity, and openness.  Under Dr. Catalani’s leadership, the gap between low and high performing students has narrowed while overall scores continue to rise.  The trend data released this fall shows that since 2002, the percentage of District 200 students who meet or exceed state standards on the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) and Prairie State Achievement Exam (PSAE) has increased in 10 of the 11 tested areas.  The eleventh area remained level.

“One of the things we hear over and over is how Dr. Catalani has returned trust and stability to the District,”  Mr. Johnson said, noting that a community survey conducted last May shows that more than 75 percent of the respondents are optimistic about the direction of the school district, and a substantial majority trust the district to make the right decisions. He also pointed to the strong positive relationships that have been forged between the District and the various other governmental units within its boundaries.

Dr. Catalani, known as a superintendent who expects his principals to be educational leaders, said he is most proud of the gains in student achievement that have occurred during his tenure.  “We are an organization that is all about teaching and learning.  Our teachers and administrators have worked hard to help all students learn at high levels.”

He also points to the high school construction projects currently underway as one of his major accomplishments.  “These high schools are visible reminders of the pride this community has in its schools,” he said.  The schools are designed around the high school program that was defined and described by a community task force that, among other things, recommended an increase in graduation requirements in order to raise expectations for all students.  The task force issued a variety of recommendations in the area of academics, activities and social emotional development, many of which were implemented as part of the construction process, including College and Career Counseling Centers and Student Resource Centers.

Since Dr. Catalani became superintendent in 1999, the District has gone from having no formal security measures to being recognized nationally for implementing a safety and security program that is a model for other other schools.  The hallmark of the program is the involvement of local emergency officials, who work side by side with school personnel in an ongoing effort to improve safety and train staff to respond to various crisis situations.

While the District has suffered from the economic fallout of the September 11, 2001 tragedies and the loss of state and federal aid, it has maintained a strong bond rating from Moody’s and, despite several years of deficit budgets, was able to balance the budget in its main operating fund this year following three years of deliberate program reductions and cost containment efforts.  “This administration has recognized that we cannot rely on state and federal sources to balance the budget,” Dr. Catalani said, adding that he has worked with the Board of Education to cut costs without directly impacting what goes on in the classroom.  He noted, however, that the District’s financial health continues to be an issue to be addressed.

            Other accomplishments during Dr. Catalani’s tenure include:

• the completion of the 1999 referendum projects, which included the renovation and expansion of eight schools and the construction of a new one
• the stability of the central office administrative team and the hiring of principals for 15 of the District’s 20 schools
• expanded opportunities for private school students to participate in the District 200 program
• the expansion of the Before and After School Program to all elementary schools
• the establishment of a self-supporting preschool program for regular education students
• a hot lunch program in the elementary schools
• increased communication through web pages, voicemail, email and voice messaging, office hours and newsletters
• an alternative program for high school students at risk of dropping out of school

In addition to his work in District 200, Dr. Catalani has been a presenter at many local, state and national conferences focusing his presentations on leadership and the impact school administrators have on student achievement.

Dr. Catalani came to District 200 in 1999 after serving as Superintendent in the south suburban Thornton High School District.  He went to the Thornton district as principal of Thornwood High School in 1991 and became Superintendent there in 1994.  He started his education career 34 years ago in the Valley View School District as a high school history teacher and coach.  He soon moved into the administrative ranks, serving as dean, assistant principal, and principal at both the middle school and high school.  During his tenure in Valley View, he helped implement the first year-round school in Illinois, which operated there for 10 years.

Dr. Catalani earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Lewis University and his master’s and Ed.D. in Educational Administration from Northern Illinois University.  Dr. Catalani is a member of the Wheaton Lions Club.  He and his wife Sharon live in Wheaton.