Online Staff Report

After conducting interviews in closed session at a special board meeting Saturday morning, Oct. 27, and then finishing the process Tuesday night, Oct. 30, the Rockford Public School Board reached consensus to name Dr. Ehren Jarrett as its new superintendent.

Jarrett and Matt Vosberg, both assistant superintendents with the district, were the sole applicants for the position. The board decided in August to keep the applicant pool internal.

“We believe we have a highly talented and skilled administrative team and have ample talent to draw from in choosing the district’s next leader,” said Board President Harmon Mitchell. “Both gentlemen have done an outstanding job for the district during the past 18 months, and both were extremely well qualified for the top leadership position. We are thrilled and hopeful as a board that they will continue to jointly lead the district forward with the rest of our administrative team.”

As part of the Rockford Public Schools leadership team during the past 18 months, Jarrett worked with Alignment Rockford to implement high school academies, communicating with the board, district staff and community stakeholders, including participating in more than 70 community meetings to solicit input. As a result, the proposal and plan were improved and expanded and unanimously approved by the school board.

Jarrett also implemented increased communication, meetings and mentoring with principals and district leaders aimed at improving outcomes for students. He is involved in the community with United Way, the Rockford Area Economic Development Council and the Discovery Center Board of Directors.

Prior to his time at the Rockford Public Schools, Jarrett served as Rockton Hononegah High School’s principal, leading the school to a host of accolades including being recognized by both Newsweek magazine and the Washington Post as one of the top schools in the nation.

Jarrett also facilitated the creation of teacher teams that revised curriculum and goals and resulted in more than doubling Advanced Placement participation and increasing students’ ACT scores from 21 to 22.9.

The board will begin contract negotiations with the possibility of Jarrett assuming his new role July 1, 2013, and Interim Superintendent Dr. Robert Willis staying on until June 30, 2013.

“When we hired Dr. Jarrett and Mr. Vosberg 18 months ago, these skilled educators were being courted by surrounding districts that readily recognized their value and worth, but they have deep roots in Rockford and want to give back to the community in which they were raised,” Willis said. “To have a combination of leaders with this much talent leading our already skilled team is a testament to the progress we have made and what the future will hold in creating a district that is top in the state. We are on our way.”

Rockford Public School District 205, with 28,000 students is the third-largest district in the state and the largest full-time employer in the Rockford area.

Posted Oct. 30, 2012