Riley fitting in as superintendent
<span>With the departure of Chris Diddlebock in June, that left little time for the Chester Board of Education to secure a full-time individual to lead District 139 through the 2015-16 school year. </span>
<span>The BOE decided to utilize the services of two "half-year" superintendents to guide Chester High School and Chester Grade School while the search for a full-time superintendent takes place. </span>
<span>Bill Riley agreed to serve as the interim superintendent of the district until December 31, taking office on July 1. </span>
<span>"If I was younger and wasn't retired, I would take this job in a flash," Riley said. "I can already see some positives and I can definitely see light at the end of the tunnel.</span>
<span>"Regarding our financial situation, with the new tax help, in two-to-three years, things should be much improved if everything continues to get better with some of the proposed changes coming up."</span>
<span>Riley earned his educational degrees at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He received a bachelor of science degree in education in 1967.</span>
<span>In 1975, he received a master of science degree in guidance and educational psychology. In 1991, Riley earned an administrative Type 75 certificate for school principals and obtained the Administrative Type I certificate for Superintendent of Schools in 1997.</span>
<span>Riley taught junior high science at Trico from 1967 to 1974. He became junior high principal and district director of transportation at Trico from 1994 to 1998.</span>
<span>His first position as superintendent was from 1998 until 2003 at Coulterville Unit School District No. 1.</span>
<span>From October 2003 until June 2004, Riley was an instructor at Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) at the Red Bud campus, where he taught teachers to prepare for the Aide Paraprofessional test.</span>
<span>He was also the professional development coordinator for the Monroe-Randolph Regional Office of Education in Waterloo.</span>
<span>He has previously served as interim superintendent at De Soto Community Consolidated School District No. 86 and Murphysboro Community Unit School District No. 186.</span>
<span>"I had the opportunity to visit the new (Chester) students at the Freshman Academy this summer and I have never seen a more courteous, diversified group of students than this year's freshman class," Riley said. "It was very nice getting to get to know them."</span>
<span>Riley is a member of the Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education and he maintains active involvement in the SIUC Alumni Association.</span>
<span>He has a firm commitment to professional development as a key to school improvement and believes that successful integration of technology and computer usage in the school curriculum will facilitate learning for all students.</span>
<span>"I welcome new ideas," Riley said. "I have enjoyed talking to teachers and staff here in the district. You all seem like one big happy family that has a lot of people.</span>
<span>"Finances are an issue at this time, but I don't run from challenges. I can only stay 100 days, but while I am here, I hope to have income balance with our expenditures."</span>