Ball-Chatham School District set to approve hire of new superintendent

CHATHAM, Ill. (WAND) - The Ball-Chatham School District’s Board of Education is set to approve hiring a new superintendent. 

The board plans to approve the hire of Becca Lamon, Ph.D., as its next superintendent at their regular meeting: 6:30 p.m., Thursday, February 24 at the District Office.

The Board will vote on the proposed length of her contract as well as salary and benefits.

Dr. Lamon has served as assistant superintendent at East Noble School Corporation in Kendallville, Indiana for the past 11 years.

She has also taught courses as an adjunct professor at Purdue University Fort Wayne.

Dr. Lamon is a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She earned a master’s from Butler University and a doctorate from Purdue University. 

In November, the Board contracted with School Exec Connect to conduct a nationwide search to replace the current superintendent, Dr. Douglas Wood, who announced his retirement in September, (effective July 29, 2022).

The district conducted nine focus groups, two open forums, and an online survey. The search firm brought six candidates to the Board for interviews, out of 31 applicants. From the top six, they narrowed the field to three. The top three candidates then interviewed with community, administrative, and teacher/staff committees, and the Board for a second time. They chose Dr. Lamon.  

“Dr. Lamon is a strong, smart, and hard-working leader with a deep background in developing school curriculum,” says Kyle Barry, Ball-Chatham board president. “She will bring a lot of energy to the District and will lead us toward a productive future.” 

Board Secretary Andrea Rediger said, “Dr. Lamon strikes me as an innovative leader:  unique pre-K design, focus on STEM from the very early years, a career pathway program in the upper grades for each student, and creative proactive hiring ideas.  In the interview process, she demonstrated the 13 characteristics in the New Superintendent Profile which was created with extensive stakeholder involvement.”

“I am honored to become a part of the Ball-Chatham staff and community,” says Dr. Lamon. “I find fulfillment from working with teams of skilled, motivated, and caring individuals who work tirelessly to meet the academic and social-emotional needs of students. I know that I am joining a district which possesses a focus on the needs of every student and a student-first philosophy. I look forward to continuing this tradition while collaborating with the many great stakeholders of the Ball-Chatham district to help us excel as we move forward.”

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