BV hires new superintendent

MANLIUS — The superintendent’s seat in the Bureau Valley School District being vacated by the retiring Terry Gutshall has been filled.

At Monday’s school board meeting, the board unanimously approved offering a two-year contract to John Bute, currently the superintendent of Pleasant Hill Elementary School District in Peoria. Board member Myron Rumbold was not present at the meeting.

According to a biography provided by the district, Bute received a bachelor of science and educational specialist degrees from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston and a master of science from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.

Bute has more than 10 years of experience as a school administrator, leading school districts from the principal’s office in St. Elmo, Clay City and Farmington, where he served until moving to the superintendent’s seat at Pleasant Hill in 2006.

Bute has worked in school districts with student populations ranging from 250 to 1,400. In Pleasant Hill, the students have met adequate yearly progress each year and have twice been named a Spotlight School by the Illinois State Board of Education.

Bute’s professional career as a teacher/coach began at Oak Grove West in Bartonville in 1993. He was a middle school teacher/coach there before moving to a high school teaching position at Amboy in 1995. Bute began his administrative duties in 1999.

On Tuesday, Bute said he was very much looking forward to coming to Bureau Valley. As a former teacher at Amboy and a resident of Lee County, Bute said he was familiar with the area.

“I’m looking forward to getting reacquainted with old friends and making some new ones,” he said.

Bute said the major challenge facing Bureau Valley is the same one facing schools all over the state — finances.

“There are choices to make in the future,” he said. “The challenge is to upgrade curriculum and instruction and to continue to educate our students.”

BV Board President Roger Craine said he was pleased the board selected Bute for the position.

“I believe we had 20 candidates apply for this position,” Craine said. “We interviewed four and made a selection, and I’m real pleased with the selection we made.”