Cass School District 63

The Board of Education invites dynamic, visionary leaders to apply for the position of Superintendent of Schools. This is a unique opportunity to lead a small, high achieving PreK-8 school district where strong community support, innovative programs, and a deep commitment to student success create an environment where every child can thrive. The selected candidate will succeed Mr. Mark R. Cross, who has led the district with distinction and will retire in June of 2026. Following are the links and information for both our community, as well as our prospective candidates.

Vacancy Announcement Brochure

Online Application and Candidate Questionnaire

Search Process and Timeline

Community and Staff Survey Results

Dear Cass School District 63 Community,

The Board of Education would like to share that Superintendent Mark Cross will retire at the conclusion of the 2025–26 school year. Since joining Cass School District 63 in 2020, Mr. Cross has led with dedication, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to our students, staff, and families. His leadership has made a lasting impact on our school community, and we are deeply grateful for his service. He will be greatly missed.

In preparation for this transition, the Board has developed a process and timeline to ensure a new superintendent is in place on July 1, 2026. Selecting our next superintendent is one of the Board’s most important responsibilities, and we are committed to a transparent and inclusive process. We highly value input from all stakeholders, including families, CARE, staff, and community members, as we work to define the qualities and priorities for our next district leader.

The Board of Education greatly appreciates the responses from over 200 people who took the time to provide input on our superintendent search survey. The Board utilized these results to develop the qualities and priorities of our next leader in District 63. Both the overall survey data and the vacancy announcement is available to our school community and our prospective candidates on the search page, which we will continue to update every step of the way.

Thank you for your continued support as we continue to partner with you in this important process.

Warm regards,

Lana Johnson, President
Board of Education