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The Board is proud to announce Mr. John Bryk as our new Superintendent.
As a fixture of Orland School District 135 for the last four and a half years, Mr. Bryk is already known to many in our community, but it is important to point out that he was the most qualified candidate in several of the Board’s search criteria: Mr. Bryk inspires trust, has high levels of self-confidence and optimism, and models high standards of integrity and personal performance.
Mr. Bryk is currently our Interim Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations. Besides Mr. Bryk’s invaluable experience at District 135, he has additional administrative experience from when he served as Chief School Business Official at Minooka Community HS District 111, and as an Assistant Principal at Thornton Fractional North High School in Calumet City. Prior to his administrative career, Mr. Bryk was also a teacher at T. F. North High School in the Business and Technology Department.
His dedication to our community goes beyond education. For more than 35 years, Mr. Bryk has served our country in the National Guard. He is currently a Lieutenant Colonel in the Illinois Air National Guard, where he serves as Commander of Security Forces Squadron at Scott Air Force Base. Mr. Bryk’s commanding officer sent the Board a recommendation letter stating he is at the top 1% of his organization.
After numerous stakeholder-specific focus groups and open community sessions, along with input from community leaders, staff, parents and students, the Board created the selection criteria to guide the search firm in its screening process. The national executive leadership search firm, Ray and Associates, Inc. conducted our search based on our custom criteria. Fifty-five candidates submitted their application, and at the conclusion of the screening process, Ray and Associates recommended eight candidates to advance in the hiring process.
The search firm conducted preliminary interviews and reference checks of each of the candidates. The Board reviewed all applications, resumes, and letters of recommendation for each of the candidates, as well as a video interview in which each candidate answered the same three questions. As a result, the Board invited four of the candidates for an in-person interview.
Using a consistent matrix to guide the selection process, the Board concluded that Mr. Bryk and another candidate were best suited to promote the vision of the district, and best serve the needs of our students.
Dr. Laura Berry and Ms. Sandra Kulak represented the Board at each site visit for the two finalists. During the site visit, there were meetings with the candidate’s administration, Board and union representative, as well as a certified teacher and a member of the candidate’s support staff.
Through this thorough process, Mr. Bryk was the clear choice for the position of Superintendent for Orland School District 135. Please join the Board in congratulating Mr. Bryk and supporting him and our District as we move forward.
Sincerely,
The Orland School District 135 Board of Education
