The Examiner U-46 News FeedSanders certified to be superintendent at U-46 By Seth Hancock
School District U-46 has recently announced some administrative changes including the hiring of a new administrator while CEO Tony Sanders is now superintendent.
Late last month, Sanders announced via social media that he had obtained the superintendent requirements through Illinois Licensure Testing System.
“The results are in… I am now the Superintendent of School District U-46,” Sanders wrote.
Sue Kerr, the board’s president, also announced the news at the March 2 Board of Education meeting saying “we’re excited” who noted “we had to have a special state law passed” to allow Sanders to be the CEO since 2014 when former Superintendent Jose Torres left the district.
Sanders did not hold the necessary certification to be superintendent which led to taxpayers paying for a part-time interim superintendent, Ken Arndt, to sign documents needing a superintendent’s certification until June 1, 2017 when a new state law took effect allowing Sanders to sign those documents. The board and Sanders lobbied the state for that law that solely benefitted Sanders.
To sign documents, taxpayers paid Arndt $65,000 a year for no more than 100 days of work a year to start and even received a raise during his time at U-46 to $70,000 which was on top of a six-figure pension from the state, according to bettergov.org, since 2011 when he retired as superintendent from neighboring Community Unit School District 300.
Sanders is currently under a contract through June 30, 2024 which started with a base salary of $241,679 when it was approved in March 2019. That contract required Sanders to earn the superintendent certification by 2020, and it reimburses him for the required coursework.
The new administrator announced is Teresa Lance who will be the assistant superintendent for equity and innovation, a part of the superintendent’s cabinet, starting in July according to a district press release.
The press release states that Lance’s work will be to lead U-46’s “equity work” and overseeing “innovative strategies and programs.”
Lance holds bachelor of science (physical education) and masters of science (health education) degrees from State University of New York at Cortland, a doctoral degree (educational leadership) from University of Phoenix and a graduate certificate (school administration and supervision) from Johns Hopkins University.
Prior to coming to U-46, Lance was the superintendent at Thornton Fractional High School District 215 since July 2018. She started her career as a teacher, assistant principal and principal in Maryland’s Baltimore City Public Schools between 19915 and 2008, she was a consultant and educational specialist between 2011 and 2013 at two institutions in Texas and she was a school leadership officer at a Colorado school district from 2013 until coming to Thornton.
“We look forward to welcoming Dr. Lance and are excited to tap her experience and expertise,” Sanders said for the press release. “We have set a foundation for our equity and innovation work but Dr. Lance will help us move this important work forward so that we better meet the needs of each and every student.”
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