After 31 years working at New Trier High School, including the last seven as superintendent, Dr. Paul Sally is set to retire next summer.

With the search for the next superintendent in full swing, Sally is focused on his last year at New Trier while also looking forward to the future.

He made the decision to retire two years ago, notifying the board so they could begin the search for a replacement. For Sally, the decision to retire was a result of two factors.

“I certainly want to spend more time with family,” he said, mentioning his two grandkids in particular. “There’s also this part of thinking about how I can contribute to the world in some way other than education.”

As far as what that might look like, Sally isn’t sure yet. He’s excited to have more time to think about and explore what he wants to do next.

“I’ve been asked a lot, ‘Well, what are you going to do?’ and there certainly are a lot of different options,” he said. “I’m looking forward to something different.”

Prior to becoming superintendent in 2017, Sally served as a math teacher, math department coordinator, and associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction. Though he hasn’t been in the classroom in 15 years, he reminisced on his time teaching in the math department at New Trier, citing it as something he’s proud of.

“Those relationships with my colleagues, but mostly my relationships with kids over those 15 years, were very special,” Sally recalled. “It was great to be able to be a part of thousands of kids’ lives through those years.”

As superintendent, Sally’s tenure has included developing and overseeing New Trier 2030, the district’s strategic plan, which has produced significant improvements to school facilities and security. Additionally, the progress has featured restructuring certain administrative roles.

Sally has also navigated the district through challenges and controversy, including over education on topics surrounding race, sexuality, and current events, which have become politically divisive and polarized in recent years.

“It has been a challenge,” Sally said. “There have been some very unique things that have happened in the last seven years.”

In confronting difficult situations, Sally said his approach has always been to stay focused on students.

“You have to stay student-centered. I think our motto actually captures stuff we should stay focused on,” Sally said, referring to New Trier’s motto, ‘to commit minds to inquiry, hearts to compassion, and lives to the service of humanity.’

Another unique situation Sally took on as superintendent was the COVID-19 pandemic, working to respond and communicate with other local schools.

“I was sort of new in the superintendency at that point,” Sally explained. “Other superintendents were also struggling with how to manage this.”

During that time, Sally frequently met with elementary school principals and neighboring superintendents as they collectively struggled with charting the right course. Looking back, Sally recognized that there may have been some decisions he would have made differently.

“There’s always second-guessing on all kinds of decisions, and that’s not a sign of a problem,” he said. “Whether it be snow days, whether it be COVID policy, there’ll be different points of view.”

Considering and attempting to bridge those points of view has been a struggle, he acknowledged, but something the school has strived for in decision making.

“We’re on the other side of a lot of those things, but we will always be in the midst of some type of conflict,” he said. “Regret really is about making sure you’re reflecting on the decisions that you’ve made, listening to the way people experience that decision, and thinking about what to do in the future, and how to incorporate that in thinking.”

Sally said the incoming superintendent should anticipate high expectations and standards of accountability.

“New Trier is a little bit of a different place than many other schools,” he said. “One of the things that’s expected by the community, the staff, and the students, is that there’s accessibility to the superintendent.”

In addition, Sally said he has relied on the important roles of staff, his administrative team, and the board during his time as superintendent.

“Here it’s a much flatter organization than in many other schools,” he said. “We try to make decisions in highly collaborative ways.”

As he plans to make way for the next superintendent after his exit on June 30 of next year, Sally said he’s grateful for the opportunities New Trier has provided him.

“New Trier’s an amazing place, and it’s got amazing people, students, families, and opportunities,” he said.

He’s also learned a lot in the job over the past seven years, both through the experiences he’s been through and by learning from others around him. 

“The job is one of constant reflection,” Sally said. “You have to listen to people. You have to actually seek out different points of view and perspectives, and you have to stay focused on your values.”