Janet Stutz, the new superintendent of Orland School District 135, received a warm welcome at her first Board of Education meeting Monday.
After relocating to Orland Park earlier this summer, Stutz said she and her family quickly grew fond of their new home and the local community. She even adopted a dog at the Orland Township Pet-palooza last month.
“It has been a wonderful community to be a participant of,” Stutz said. “My husband and I are thoroughly enjoying it.”
While Stutz adjusts to her new life in Orland Park, she’s also busy adjusting to her new job. On Monday, she outlined her 90-day strategic plan designed to familiarize herself with District 135 and its 10 schools.
“Coming in as a brand new superintendent, what I’m really looking at is to try to understand the culture, the community, the schools, the teachers, everybody involved,” Stutz told the board.
As part of her plan, Stutz is scheduled to meet with teachers and administrators across the district while touring each of its schools. She also plans to meet with local community leaders, parent groups and students.
In addition to her various meetings, Stutz will review the district’s curriculum, employee contracts and financial reports to help her form a better understanding of how the district works and identify new goals.
According to the plan, Stutz will establish a list of her goals by Oct. 1.
Board of Education members said they hoped Stutz’s tenure would mark a new era of stability within the district’s administrative offices.
When the district hired her in December, she became the fourth person to fill the position since 2010. The superintendent who retired that year did so after four years on the job, according to a previous Tribune report.
“The district needs someone who’s going to pull everyone together,” said board member Tina Zekich. “She seems to have a lot of energy and a lot of fresh ideas.”
Stutz, 50, previously told the Tribune that she planned to stay in her new position for the remainder of her career. Her initial annual salary is $175,000, according to her contract.
With education degrees from Elmhurst College and Aurora University, Stutz served as the assistant superintendent for learning at Community Consolidated District 181 in Hinsdale before coming to Orland Park. Prior to that, she worked as an administrator in school districts in Yorkville and Oswego.
Board President Joe La Margo lauded Stutz for her background in curriculum. He said it was an important area of expertise, especially now that Illinois is adjusting the state curriculum standards.
“She’s in tune,” La Margo added. “She’s going to be a real asset for the district.”
Twitter @michael_holtz
