Riley, Goodman expected to split superintendent's role

<span>CHESTER -- Facing a June 30 expiration date in current Superintendent Chris Diddlebock's contract with the district, the Chester District 139 Board of Education selected two interim finalists after a nearly two and a half hour executive session meeting on June 9.</span>

<span>The finalists are Bill Riley and Rick Goodman, both retired superintendents from the area. Riley is a former superintendent of Coulterville District 1, retiring in 2003. Goodman is a former superintendent of Thompsonville District 174 and Red Bud District 132 who retired in 2012.</span>

<span>Riley will be superintendent of Chester's district for the first semester of the 2015-16 school year, while Goodman will handle the second semester.</span>

<span>"Bill's been interim in several places, also," Diddlebock said. "I met with all the candidates before the meetings and I worked with Rick my first year here when he was still was with Red Bud."</span>

<span>Due to their status as retirees, both Riley and Goodman are limited to a maximum of 100 days of employment. The pair will be paid $500 per day (plus expenses), with no insurance or benefits - including vacation and sick days.</span>

<span>Their employment is still pending approval by the Chester BOE, which is expected to happen at Thursday's regular board meeting.</span>

<span>Also on Thursday's agenda is to approve the Illinois Association of School Board's base service fee of $5,950 for a professional executive search to find Diddlebock's permanent replacement.</span>

<span>"IASB will be running the official search," Diddlebock said. "Hopefully, they'll go through stuff and find someone by November or December and hire them for the 2016-17 school year."</span>

<span>Diddlebock said it is possible for the district to find a permanent superintendent prior to the end of the year who could take office on Jan. 1, but that would be dependent on the employment status of the candidate.</span>

<span>Another part of Thursday's agenda is to accept the resignation of Larry Asselmeier as BOE member, effective immediately. Asselmeier was up for reelection in 2017.</span>

<span>"I appreciate all he's done for the district over the last several years," Diddlebock said. "We'll put out a request in the paper and the board will choose how they do it.</span>

<span>"The board has to seat someone 30 days from the date of resignation."</span>

<span>In other BOE news, Diddlebock said interviews will begin tomorrow for filling the Dean of Students position at Chester High School.</span>