Dr. Chris Johnson

Associate Superintendent

Position Overview

Assist the Superintendent in all aspects of leading the school district. Serves as district's Chief Financial/Operating Officer and Chief School Business Official. Provides ongoing management and supervision of business, operational and technical functions.  Responsible for management of the district's insurance, transportation, food service, and purchasing programs. Serves as the Board's chief negotiator in bargaining with the district's organized employee groups.

Administrative Responsibilities

• Collaborates with the Administrative Team to align resources to support the educational priorities of the district.
• Supervises the Director of Business Services in the preparation of the district's revenue and expenditure budget and monitors the district's performance against that plan.
• Directs, through the Director of Business Services, the tasks of business record keeping and the operations of business services including payroll, benefit programs, accounts payable, accounts receivable, budgetary reports, student fees, student activity funds, and related management information and data processing systems.
• Conducts, with the aid of the Director of Business Services, the duties of Treasurer as provided by Board Policy and statutes, which include care and custody of all district funds and securities and all fiduciary responsibilities of the district, including management of investments
• Leads the Board of Education Finance Committee.
• Coordinates cost containment efforts, working with all stakeholders to find innovative solutions to reduce costs that protect the educational priorities of the district.
• Oversees the Facilities Managers in the legal, contractual, and operational functions relating to all facilities, including the work of all outside consultants and the development and implementation of a long term facilities plan.
• Oversees the Chief Information Officer in the legal, contractual, and operational functions relating to district technology services, including the work of all outside consultants
• Prepares annual short-range and long-range enrollment and financial forecasts for the district
• Reviews and directs, in cooperation with the Chief Information Officer, the various data processing aspects that relate to the business and human resource operations of the district.
• Supervises all areas of procurement involving bidding for and/or purchasing of supplies and equipment for use within the district through the Manager of Transportation and Purchasing
• Directs the district's capital equipment acquisition and planning process, as well as all major capital projects, including the financing of same
• Directs the district's transportation services through the Manager of Transportation and Purchasing
• Negotiates and executes all contracts for products and services in compliance with Board Policy.
• Collaborates with Human Resources, Student Services, and Curriculum and Instruction to plan for staffing, including participation in the Stipend Review Committee
• Represents the district in matters dealing with food service vendors in conjunction with the Director of Business Services, including the selection of vendor, approval of pricing, monitoring of financial operation and working with campus administrators on food service-related problems.
• Administers the district's insurance programs, both those paid by district monies as well as those paid by contributions from individual employees or students. Serves as district representative in all insurance cooperatives.
• Assists the Superintendent in the leadership of the New Trier Township Educational Consortium (NTTEC), including the preparation for Cooperative meetings and legal, contractual and other issues related to the spectrum lease
• Leads the Board's management team in collective bargaining negotiations with the New Trier Educational Association, the Education Support Personnel Association and the Physical Plant Services Association, and prepares materials needed in negotiations with the Directors of Business Services and Human Resources
• Assists in the administration of contract compliance with provisions of the collective bargaining agreements serving as primary interpreter of all contract provisions
• Acts as the district's primary representative in matters dealing with lawsuits and state/federal investigations
• Directs the operation of the New Trier Scholarship Trust Fund
• Serves as the district's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Officer
• Consults with employees anticipating retirement benefits through TRS or IMRF and serves as resource for retirement planning for all employee groups as requested
• Serves on the Superintendent's Council and participates in Administrative Team meetings.  Participates in hiring decisions for certified and non-certified personnel, as needed.
• Collaborates with legislative and professional associations regarding significant educational issues at the local, state and national levels.
• Completes special projects as assigned by the Superintendent
• Attends Board meetings and prepares such reports for the Board as the Superintendent may request.

Academic Preparation

• Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Administration, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL
• M.S. in Business Information Technology, DePaul University, Chicago, IL
• B.S. in Human Computer Interaction, DePaul University, Chicago, IL
• Chief School Business Official Endorsement, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL
• Superintendent's Endorsement, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL