Sycamore Schools Shift Finance Leadership and Bring in Consulting Help
During a special meeting on June 9, the Sycamore school board made several key staffing and contractual decisions:
- Interim Director of Finance
- Appointed: Garrick Grizaffi
- Additional Role: Treasurer
Contract Terms: Either party may terminate with five days’ notice.
- Business‑Services Contract
- Vendor: Transformational Business Services
- Effective Dates: May 28 – June 30, 2026 (auto‑renew on July 1 each year)
- Termination: Two weeks’ notice by either side.
- Pricing: $1,000 per day or $125 per hour.
These appointments and contracts were announced the same evening the board approved a two‑year, $187,500 salary for the district’s first Chief Operating Officer. The superintendent had outlined four new positions in May, all filled by the end of June with total salaries exceeding $500,000. The interim finance role and consulting agreement were not part of the original staffing plan.
According to Lauren Holtz, director of communication and community engagement, the decisions were made because an administrative staff member was on leave. In a subsequent board meeting on June 23, Grizaffi noted that Nicole Stuckert, the assistant superintendent for business services, would return on July 21.
