Executive Director Search Update    

Lincoln Intermediate Unit    

September 12, 2024  

Dear LIU Community:      

It is with great pleasure that we introduce the next leader of Lincoln Intermediate Unit (LIU). At last evening’s Special Meeting, the LIU Board of Directors officially appointed Dr. M. Christopher Marchese as the new Executive Director.  

Dr. Marchese has served as Superintendent of the Avon Grove School District in West Grove, PA, since 2013. He has demonstrated transformative leadership in overseeing a rural-suburban school district serving approximately 5,000 students. In addition to serving as Superintendent, Dr. Marchese has held across four districts a number of leadership positions, including Assistant Superintendent, Principal, and Assistant Principal.

His commitment to student-centered outcomes and innovation has resulted in consistently high student achievement and progressive system advancement. Dr. Marchese’s recent professional achievements include implementation of Full-Day Kindergarten, progressive student scheduling at the high school and intermediate school, dynamic learning environments for staff and students, and a full-scale facilities master plan, culminating in the construction of a state-of-the-art high school that opened in fall 2022. At the same time, he expanded athletic and co-curricular offerings, special education, ELL programs, and mental health options, all while increasing student achievement and maintaining the lowest Per-Pupil spending in Chester County.

Throughout the interview process, it was clear that Dr. Marchese shares our passion for supporting partners, customers, and students in realizing their greatest potential. His dedication to building relationships, seizing control of critical problem areas, and delivering on stakeholder commitments aligns seamlessly with the feedback we received from our staff, our families, and our educational community during the search process. We are confident in his expertise and ability to lead LIU forward.

Our selection process for this role was comprehensive and rigorous. Out of 17 applications received from a diverse pool of candidates, the Board initially interviewed six candidates, with two candidates invited back for second interviews. Interviews were conducted using in-depth questions developed from feedback from our eight focus groups and over 250 survey responses. In the end, Dr. Marchese’s skills and experiences best aligned with the criteria set forth by stakeholder input, and we are excited to welcome him to LIU. 

Dr. Marchese’s exact start date is still to be determined but will be communicated in the near future.

Please welcome Dr. M. Christopher Marchese to LIU!  

Best regards,  

Board of Directors

Lincoln Intermediate Unit

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE

Emerging Themes for the Lincoln Intermediate Unit

Executive Director Search

July 2024

Key Themes Regarding Desired Candidate: Shared By All Audiences

1. Visionary leader with a proven ability to establish a clear identity and communicate a shared vision.
2. Proactive and forward thinker; anticipating and acting upon identified needs and opportunities.
3. Strong, inclusive communicator.
4. Leader of leaders; advancing thought sharing, collaboration, and leadership development across LIU and all districts.
5. Astute business acumen; driving strategy, planning, operations, and finance with the best interest of students in mind.
6. Capacity builder; optimizing the strengths of the team and the community.
7. Experienced school educator.

Key Themes Regarding Desired Candidate: Shared Specifically By Superintendents

1. Understands and addresses the needs of diverse districts.
2. Demonstrated transparency in financial and fiduciary responsibility.
3. Experienced district superintendent.
4. Legislative leadership and clout.

Key Themes Regarding Desired Candidate: Shared Specifically By LIU Staff

1. Developer of staff; creating and maintaining a quality educational culture.

August 14, 2024

Dear LIU Community:  

We are pleased to share the latest developments in our search for the next Executive Director of Lincoln Intermediate Unit (LIU).

Currently, we are in the interview stage of the selection process. From a pool of 17 candidates, we have shortlisted six for interviews. We are proud that our commitment to excellence has attracted a diverse group of highly qualified individuals. As outlined in our previous update, we used community input to help shape our candidate evaluation criteria and interview questions. Our focus during these interviews is to ensure that the chosen candidate’s skills and experiences align with our goal of securing an exceptional leader for both our students and the LIU community.

At the conclusion of interviews and after reference and background checks, the Board anticipates selection of an outstanding finalist in late August or early September. Our goal is that the new Executive Director will assume their responsibilities at LIU on or close to January 3, 2025.

We appreciate your continued support throughout this process and look forward to introducing our new Executive Director soon. Updates will be shared via email and on the LIU website. Should you have any questions, please reach out to the CCIU Executive Search Team at LIUExecSearch@cciu.org.

Sincerely,  

Board of Directors 

Lincoln Intermediate Unit

July 24, 2024

Dear LIU Community:    

The July 22 application deadline has passed, and the application phase of our search is now complete! We are pleased to announce that we have received applications from 17 candidates spanning five states and two countries. This diverse pool reflects the solid reputation and attractiveness of Lincoln Intermediate Unit (LIU) as a desirable place to lead. The exceptional quality of the candidates positions us well to select a leader who possesses the skills and vision necessary to guide our students, staff, and community partners towards continued success.

In the coming weeks, the Board will conduct preliminary screenings of applicants' resumes and credentials and will begin candidate interviews. We extend our gratitude to everyone who participated in one of our eight staff, district, and community focus groups, and to the over 250 individuals who completed the community survey. Your input is invaluable, and we are using it to help develop candidate evaluation criteria and interview questions. To ensure a fair and consistent interview process, the themes identified by the focus groups and survey will not be shared with the community until the completion of the search.

After the first round of interviews, the Board will reevaluate the candidates and invite those who best meet the needs of LIU to the next phase of the interview process. We aim to complete the search process by September, with the new Executive Director starting on or before January 3, 2025.

Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to bringing an outstanding educational leader to serve as LIU's next Executive Director. We will continue to provide updates via email and on the LIU website. If you have any questions, please contact the Search team at LIUExecSearch@cciu.org. 

Sincerely,  

Board of Directors 

Lincoln Intermediate Unit

Dear LIU Community: 

We are less than one month away from the July 22 application deadline for the new Executive Director of the Lincoln Intermediate Unit. In preparation for applicant review, we are eager to develop our desired candidate profile, but we need your input. Your input is vital to the success of this search, so we encourage participation in one or both of the following community input opportunities.

Community Survey Extended

The community survey deadline has been extended to Friday, July 19. We invite all stakeholders to take a few moments to complete the survey. Your feedback will significantly impact the development of the candidate profile and interview questions.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LIUCommunity

The survey responses will be collected directly by the CCIU, kept strictly confidential and shared only in the aggregate with the Board of Directors.  

Final Focus Group Opportunity

In addition to the survey, we have one virtual community focus group to gather more in-depth feedback. This session is open to all LIU parents/guardians and community members and will be facilitated by representatives from the Chester County Intermediate Unit to ensure open and honest dialogue.

Please RSVP at least one day prior to your scheduled focus group to ensure appropriate Zoom setup and privacy. Registered participants will receive a Zoom link via email within five minutes of registering, and your information will remain confidential.

Next Steps

After gathering survey responses and conducting focus groups, we'll analyze the feedback to identify key themes from our various audiences. These insights will guide us in crafting interview questions and defining the ideal candidate profile. Following the application deadline on July 22, the Board will review resumes and credentials to select candidates for interviews.

Our goal is to finalize the search by September, with the new Executive Director starting on or before January 3, 2025. Updates will be posted on the LIU website. Thank you for your ongoing support throughout this process. We look forward to collaborating with the Lincoln community to welcome an outstanding educational leader.

Sincerely,

Board of Directors

Lincoln Intermediate Unit

Dear LIU Community:    

As we begin to receive applications for the new Executive Director of the Lincoln Intermediate Unit, we are eager to capture a view of our community’s needs and aspirations to help develop our desired candidate profile. Your input is vital to the success of this search, so we encourage participation in one or both of the following community input opportunities.   

Final Survey Reminder 

We invite all stakeholders to take a few moments to complete the survey. Your feedback will significantly impact the development of the candidate profile and interview questions.  

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LIUCommunity 

Please complete the survey by Friday, June 28.  The survey responses will be collected directly by the CCIU, kept strictly confidential and shared only in the aggregate with the Board of Directors.   

Focus Group Registration Open 

In addition to the survey, we have scheduled a series of focus groups to gather more in-depth feedback from different stakeholder groups. These sessions will be facilitated by representatives from the Chester County Intermediate Unit to ensure open and honest dialogue. The focus group schedule is as follows: 

Please RSVP at least one day prior to your scheduled focus group to ensure appropriate Zoom setup and privacy. Registered participants will receive a Zoom link via email within five minutes of registering, and your information will remain confidential. 

Next Steps 

After the survey concludes and the focus groups are completed, the CCIU will analyze all the feedback received to identify key themes from our various audiences. These themes will inform the development of interview questions and the candidate profile. Once the application period ends on Monday, July 22, the Board will review applicant resumes and credentials, selecting the most qualified candidates for interviews. 

Our goal is to finalize the search process by September, with the new Executive Director starting their role on or before January 3, 2025. Updates will continue to be available on the LIU website. 

We appreciate your continued support throughout this important process and look forward to collaborating with the entire Lincoln community to welcome an exceptional educational leader to our organization. 

Sincerely,  

Board of Directors 

Lincoln Intermediate Unit 

We are currently in the application phase for the new Executive Director of the Lincoln Intermediate Unit, which will remain open until Monday, July 22, 2024. We are excited about this important process and look forward to finding an exceptional leader to join our organization.

Your input is vital to the success of this search. We are seeking your feedback through both a survey and focus groups, and we need your participation to ensure we capture a comprehensive view of our community’s needs and aspirations.

Survey Participation Encouraged

We invite all stakeholders to take a few moments to complete the survey. Your feedback will significantly impact the development of the candidate profile and interview questions.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LIUCommunity

Please complete the survey by Friday, June 28.  The survey responses will be collected directly by the CCIU, kept strictly confidential and shared only in the aggregate with the Board of Directors.  

Focus Groups

In addition to the survey, we have scheduled a series of focus groups to gather more in-depth feedback from different stakeholder groups. These sessions will be facilitated by representatives from the Chester County Intermediate Unit to ensure open and honest dialogue. The focus group schedule is as follows:

Please RSVP at least one day prior to your scheduled focus group to ensure appropriate Zoom setup and privacy. Registered participants will receive a Zoom link via email within five minutes of registering, and your information will remain confidential.

Next Steps

Following the close of the survey and completion of the focus groups, the CCIU will review all input provided, and themes from across the audiences will be identified. The emerging themes will guide the development of interview questions and the candidate profile. Upon the close of the application on Monday, July 22, the Board will screen applicant resumes and credentials, interviewing the most highly qualified candidates.

We aim to complete the search process by September, with the new Executive Director assuming responsibilities on or before January 3, 2025. We will continue to provide updates on the LIU website.

Thank you for your ongoing support during this critical process. We look forward to working with the entire Lincoln community to bring an outstanding educational leader to our organization.

Sincerely,

Board of Directors

Lincoln Intermediate Unit

After the application deadline of July 22, the Board will conduct preliminary screenings of applicant resumes and credentials and will interview the most highly qualified candidates. After the first round of interviews, the strengths and weaknesses of each applicant will be determined, and the Board will select candidates for a second round of interviews to determine who best meets the needs of our IU and our community. 

We hope to have the search process completed so that the new executive director can assume their responsibilities at the Lincoln Intermediate Unit on or as close to January 3, 2025. Again, please refer to the LIU website for updates.

Thank you for your support during this important process. We look forward to working with and having a dialogue with the entire LIU community to bring in an outstanding educational leader to serve as the IU’s next executive director. 

We are pleased to announce that the search for the next Lincoln Intermediate Unit Executive Director is underway! In April, the LIU Board of Directors approved a contract with the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) to conduct a confidential search for our next executive director.  

We have met with the CCIU search team, and we are excited to report that advertising for the position posted nationally starting on May 31, with a deadline for application submission indicated as July 22, 2024. 

September 12, 2024

For Immediate Release

Lincoln Intermediate Unit Appoints New Executive Director 

New Oxford, PA – The Lincoln Intermediate Unit (LIU) Board of Directors approved the appointment of M. Christopher Marchese, Ed.D. as its next Executive Director during a virtual Special Meeting held on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. Marchese comes to LIU with extensive experience and a demonstrated history of effective educational leadership within the Commonwealth.

Having served as Superintendent of the Avon Grove School District in West Grove, PA, since 2013, Marchese has demonstrated transformative leadership in overseeing a rural-suburban school district serving approximately 5,000 students. During his tenure, Marchese led implementation of Full-Day Kindergarten, progressive student scheduling at the high school and intermediate school, dynamic learning environments for staff and students, and a full-scale facilities master plan, culminating in the construction of a state-of-the-art high school that opened in fall 2022. At the same time, he expanded athletic and co-curricular offerings, special education, ELL programs, and mental health options, all while increasing student achievement and maintaining the lowest Per-Pupil spending in Chester County.

Todd Gettys, President of the LIU Board of Directors, remarked that “We are excited to introduce Dr. M. Christopher Marchese as the new Executive Director of the Lincoln Intermediate Unit. His broad experience and forward-thinking leadership make him the perfect choice to guide LIU into the future. We are confident his leadership will yield exceptional results for our students, staff, and community.”

Marchese has held a number of leadership positions throughout his career, including Assistant Superintendent, Principal, and Assistant Principal. Additionally, his commitment to fostering a child centered approach to all aspects of the school community has led to serving as a member of the Board of Governors with the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators (PASA), a Superintendent mentor for the American Association of School Administrators/Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators (AASA/PASA) National Superintendent Certification program, and President of the Suburban Schools Study Council (SSSC) that provides professional learning opportunities for Superintendents in Lancaster, Berks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Bucks Counties.

"I am honored to have been selected as the next Executive Director of Lincoln Intermediate Unit," said Marchese. "I am excited to begin working with all of our stakeholders to ensure that our Intermediate Unit is providing high quality services to our educational partners.“

The Lincoln Intermediate Unit search process was facilitated by the Chester County Intermediate Unit. LIU received 17 applications from a diverse candidate pool that included experienced leaders from across five states and two countries. From the applicant pool, six highly qualified candidates were invited for a first-round interview and two candidates were invited to a second, final round of interviews. The Board conducted a thorough reference and background check as part of the final steps.   

In a search process that spanned late spring and the summer, the Board aggregated feedback from eight focus groups and from over 250 individual survey responses from parents, staff, district leaders, and the community to confirm stakeholder priorities and themes. The Board completed rigorous interviews using in-depth questions developed from the feedback. In the end, Marchese’s skills and experiences best aligned with the criteria set forth by stakeholder input.

According to Gettys, LIU Board President, Marchese impressed the board with his unwavering commitment to public education and students, his strategic vision for advancing our schools and programs, and his genuine enthusiasm for becoming part of the LIU community. “Dr. Marchese is a great fit for our mission, and we are excited to welcome him to LIU,” Gettys stated.

Reflecting on his future with LIU, Marchese shared, "I'm eager to connect with the LIU staff and engage with students from the Franklin Learning Center, York Learning Center, and Paradise School. I'm also excited to build strong relationships with our member districts, their superintendents, and their school boards to tailor our services and programs to best support their student needs.”

Marchese was appointed during the virtual September 11 Special Meeting. An exact start date will be communicated in the near future but is expected on or around January 3, 2025. The Board of Directors looks forward to partnering with him to advance the district's mission of realizing our partners’, customers’, and students’ greatest potential.

About Lincoln Intermediate Unit:

The Lincoln Intermediate Unit (LIU) is an education service agency with the mission to support partners, customers, and students in realizing their greatest potential through quality, innovative solutions and services. LIU provides adult education, nonpublic school services, business services, educational services, special education, and educational technology services to schools and communities across Adams, Franklin and York counties. Headquartered in New Oxford, Pennsylvania, LIU serves the region through the additional operation of campuses in Chambersburg, Abbottstown, and York.

About Chester County Intermediate Unit:

The Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) is an educational service agency that exists to provide quality, cost-effective services to the community and its residents. The Chester County Intermediate Unit administers instructional, enrichment and administrative programs and services to Chester County’s 12 public school districts and to over 45 private and parochial schools in the county. These programs include instructional, remedial and enrichment services for regular and special education students. Other IU services support teachers, school administrators and school directors. The diversity of CCIU programs enables IU staff to interact with school district personnel at all levels and to maintain a cohesive educational network throughout Chester County. 

###

The Lincoln Intermediate Unit (LIU) announces the commencement of its search for a new Executive Director, following the recent announcement of Dr. Jeffrey West’s retirement. Dr. West will be stepping down on January 3, 2025, after nearly six years of dedicated service.

Reflecting on his tenure, Dr. West shared his appreciation for the opportunity to lead and collaborate with the educational community in Adams, Franklin, and York counties. "Serving these remarkable educators, staff, and families has been an honor. Together, we’ve achieved significant milestones, and I’m confident that the LIU will continue to thrive under new leadership."

The Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) will oversee the search for Dr. West’s successor, as approved by the LIU Board of Directors during a special meeting on April 17, 2024.

The search process will begin immediately, aiming to find a visionary leader dedicated to continuing LIU’s mission to help partners, customers, and students realize their greatest potential through quality, innovative, solutions and services.

To ensure the selection process is inclusive and comprehensive, the CCIU will organize focus groups and conduct surveys to gather input from families, staff and the educational community. Details on how to participate will be shared soon.

"We value the voices of our IU community, and their input will be pivotal in this important decision," said LIU Board President, Mr. Todd Gettys. "We are committed to selecting a leader who will advance the mission and values of the Lincoln Intermediate Unit, ensuring we continue to be a go-to resource and expert for our community.”

Timeline

• May 30, 2024: Job posting opens.
• June - July 2024: Focus Groups; Surveys.
• July 22, 2024: Job posting closes; Application review.
• July 30 - August 30, 2024: Candidate screening and interviews; Selection process.
• September 2024: Board Approval/Announcement of the new Executive Director.

The job posting for the Lincoln Intermediate Unit Executive Director position has been officially posted on the CCIU website  and will remain open for applications until July 22, 2024.

For more information and updates on the search process, please contact the Chester County Intermediate Unit.

Dear LIU Community:

We are less than one month away from the July 22 application deadline for the new Executive Director of the Lincoln Intermediate Unit. In preparation for applicant review, we are eager to develop our desired candidate profile, but we need your input. Your input is vital to the success of this search, so we encourage participation in one or both of the following community input opportunities.

Community Survey Extended

The community survey deadline has been extended to Friday, July 19. We invite all stakeholders to take a few moments to complete the survey. Your feedback will significantly impact the development of the candidate profile and interview questions.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LIUCommunity

The survey responses will be collected directly by the CCIU, kept strictly confidential and shared only in the aggregate with the Board of Directors.  

Final Focus Group Opportunity

In addition to the survey, we have one virtual community focus group to gather more in-depth feedback. This session is open to all LIU parents/guardians and community members and will be facilitated by representatives from the Chester County Intermediate Unit to ensure open and honest dialogue.

Please RSVP at least one day prior to your scheduled focus group to ensure appropriate Zoom setup and privacy. Registered participants will receive a Zoom link via email within five minutes of registering, and your information will remain confidential.

Next Steps

After gathering survey responses and conducting focus groups, we'll analyze the feedback to identify key themes from our various audiences. These insights will guide us in crafting interview questions and defining the ideal candidate profile. Following the application deadline on July 22, the Board will review resumes and credentials to select candidates for interviews.

Our goal is to finalize the search by September, with the new Executive Director starting on or before January 3, 2025. Updates will be posted on the LIU website. Thank you for your ongoing support throughout this process. We look forward to collaborating with the Lincoln community to welcome an outstanding educational leader

Sincerely,

Board of Directors

Lincoln Intermediate Unit

Dear LIU Community:    

As we begin to receive applications for the new Executive Director of the Lincoln Intermediate Unit, we are eager to capture a view of our community’s needs and aspirations to help develop our desired candidate profile. Your input is vital to the success of this search, so we encourage participation in one or both of the following community input opportunities. 

Final Survey Reminder 

We invite all stakeholders to take a few moments to complete the survey. Your feedback will significantly impact the development of the candidate profile and interview questions.  

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LIUCommunity 

Please complete the survey by Friday, June 28.  The survey responses will be collected directly by the CCIU, kept strictly confidential and shared only in the aggregate with the Board of Directors.   

Focus Group Registration Open 

In addition to the survey, we have scheduled a series of focus groups to gather more in-depth feedback from different stakeholder groups. These sessions will be facilitated by representatives from the Chester County Intermediate Unit to ensure open and honest dialogue. The focus group schedule is as follows: 

Please RSVP at least one day prior to your scheduled focus group to ensure appropriate Zoom setup and privacy. Registered participants will receive a Zoom link via email within five minutes of registering, and your information will remain confidential. 

Next Steps 

After the survey concludes and the focus groups are completed, the CCIU will analyze all the feedback received to identify key themes from our various audiences. These themes will inform the development of interview questions and the candidate profile. Once the application period ends on Monday, July 22, the Board will review applicant resumes and credentials, selecting the most qualified candidates for interviews. 

Our goal is to finalize the search process by September, with the new Executive Director starting their role on or before January 3, 2025. Updates will continue to be available on the LIU website. 

We appreciate your continued support throughout this important process and look forward to collaborating with the entire Lincoln community to welcome an exceptional educational leader to our organization.  

Sincerely,  

Board of Directors 

Lincoln Intermediate Unit 

In addition to the survey, we have scheduled a series of focus groups to gather more in-depth feedback from different stakeholder groups. These sessions will be facilitated by representatives from the Chester County Intermediate Unit to ensure open and honest dialogue. The focus group schedule is as follows:

Please RSVP at least one day prior to your scheduled focus group to ensure appropriate Zoom setup and privacy. Registered participants will receive a Zoom link via email within five minutes of registering, and your information will remain confidential.

We invite all stakeholders to take a few moments to complete the survey. Your feedback will significantly impact the development of the candidate profile and interview questions.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LIUCommunity

Please complete the survey by Friday, June 28.  The survey responses will be collected directly by the CCIU, kept strictly confidential and shared only in the aggregate with the Board of Directors.  

The LIU Board of Directors has a strong interest in ensuring community voice is an integral part of the Executive Director Search process. As such, we are asking for community participation in helping to define our ideal candidate profile and establishing key criteria for final candidate selection.

The first opportunity to provide input is through an online survey. If you are interested, please complete the survey by Friday, June 28.  

• Community Input Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LIUCommunity

The survey responses will be collected directly by the CCIU, kept strictly confidential and shared only in the aggregate with the Board of Directors. 

Coming Soon: The Board will seek your input by scheduling a series of focus groups facilitated by the CCIU. CCIU representatives will facilitate the meetings and collect all information in aggregate form to ensure anonymity. 

Focus group dates and registration information will be shared soon.