For Immediate Release
June 24, 2004
Schiller announces East St. Louis Interim CEO
(East St. Louis) – Highlighting his experience in
urban school districts, Illinois Superintendent of Education
Robert Schiller announced Thursday the appointment of
Dr. Stan Mims as the interim Chief Executive Officer of
East St. Louis School District 189.
Schiller Thursday introduced Mims to both the East St.
Louis School Board and to Financial Oversight Chairman
Richard Mark before making the announcement.
Mims will serve in the role for the 2004-2005 school
year and will oversee the management team that will be
put in place as part of an intergovernmental agreement
between the school district and the Illinois State Board
of Education. The agreement provides that under the leadership
of the Interim CEO, a management team and the transition
committee will provide continued financial oversight of
the school district through the next school year. Schiller
negotiated the agreement because the Financial Oversight
Panel, which has been in place since 1994, is set to expire
in October.
“Dr. Mims has repeatedly proven his ability to successfully
drive academic improvement in financially-challenged school
districts,” Schiller said. “His appointment
provides us the opportunity to move forward in hiring
a management team that will help put the district on its
way to financial independence.”
Mims is set to begin his position July 1. Mims will report
primarily to the Transition Committee and secondarily
to the East St. Louis School Board. The Transition Committee
will also assist the East St. Louis School Board in hiring
an Interim Deputy Superintendent, an Interim Chief Financial
Officer, and an Interim Internal Auditor. Schiller said
he expects to make those appointments within the next
two weeks.
Schiller said that he and fellow members of the Transition
Committee, Peoria Public Schools District 150 Superintendent
Dr. Kay E. Royster and Prairie Hills School District 144
Superintendent Dr. J. Kay Giles, worked with several professional
executive search firms to locate the best candidate. Schiller
said that Dr. Bill Attea, managing partner of Hazard,
Young, and Attea Search Firm, was instrumental in identifying
and evaluating potential candidates who would be immediately
available and ready for the challenges of the assignment:
The firm will assist with the search for the candidates
for the permanent position of ESL superintendent.
Dr. Mims is currently the Superintendent/Chief Education
Officer in Round Lake School District overseeing the education
of 6,500 students, and the administration of a $50 million
budget and the district’s 500 employees. Round Lake
is also operating under financial oversight, and in his
current role he regularly works with local school board,
ISBE and the School Finance Authority.
Prior to coming to Illinois, Mims was the Superintendent
of Schools of School District 9 in Bronx, NY. In that
role he oversaw 35,000 students, an annual budget of more
than $320 million and 5,000 employees. Mims has also served
in the roles as deputy superintendent of schools and principal
in Brooklyn as well as director of curriculum in Kansas
City. Mims holds a doctorate from Columbia University.
Mims $118,000 contract will be for one year, and unlike
other members of the management team will not be extended
beyond June 30, 2005. He will, however, assist in the
search for a permanent district superintendent to begin
next July.
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