Cass District 63 Hires New Superintendent

DARIEN, IL – The board for Cass School District 63 on Tuesday hired a new superintendent, who is set to start July 1.

Travis McGuire is replacing the retiring Mark Cross, who is leaving at the end of the school year after six years at the helm.

For the last three years, McGuire, who holds a doctorate, has served as an assistant superintendent in Downers Grove High School District 99.

At Cass, McGuire's pay is set at $230,000. His salary in Downers Grove is $207,000.

Before Downers Grove, McGuire was superintendent of Hinckley-Big Rock District 429 for a decade. That district has 720 students and is based in DeKalb County's Hinckley, a town of 2,000 people.

With 760 students as of last year, Cass' enrollment is similar to Hinckley-Big Rock's.

In all, McGuire has 27 years of experience in education.

He earned his bachelor's degree from Illinois State University and both his master's degree and doctorate in education from Western Illinois University.

He also serves as an adjunct instructor at Aurora University, where he teaches finance.

"As I transition into this role, my priority will be to listen, learn, and understand the voices of students, staff, families, and the community, and then lead in a way that thoughtfully builds on that foundation," McGuire said in a district news release.

The superintendent search attracted nearly 70 applicants, the district said.