Dr. Nick Polyak
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Dr. Nick Polyak serves as the Superintendent for Leyden Community High School District #212. The district contains two comprehensive high schools with 3,500 students from Franklin Park, Melrose Park, Northlake, River Grove, Rosemont, Schiller Park, and Unincorporated Leyden Township. Nick is married with four children, and they reside in suburban Chicago.
Nick earned a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree in Educational Leadership and Supervision from Loyola University Chicago where he received the Phi Delta Kappa Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award. He holds a Master of Arts Degree and Chief School Business Officer (CSBO) license from Governors State University. Dr. Polyak’s undergraduate work was at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mathematics and Secondary Education.
Nick began his educational career in Lincoln-Way High School District 210 as a high school Math Teacher and Tennis/Soccer Coach. He had opportunities at Lincoln-Way to serve as a Dean of Students, Assistant Principal, and Director of Instruction and Staff Development. He then moved to the Peoria area for four years where he served as the Superintendent for Illinois Valley Central School District #321.
Nick is proud to lead an award-winning school district. They were named the 2014 National Advanced Placement District of the Year by the College Board. In addition, the district has welcomed thousands of visitors to learn about teaching and learning in a 1:1 environment. Leyden has been recognized with two Magna Awards from the National School Board Association (NSBA) and a Digital Content and Curriculum Award. Both Leyden High Schools have been named Illinois Democracy Schools. Leyden has also been named to the listing of the Top 100 Workplaces by the Chicago Tribune four different times.
Dr. Polyak believes strongly in community involvement. He is the Past-President of two different Chambers of Commerce; served four years as a School Board Member in Manhattan School District 114; coached youth sports, and has been involved in a variety of other community groups and charitable efforts. Nick completed the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA) School for Advanced Leadership in 2014 and the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) National Superintendent Certification Program in 2016.
Nick spent 10 years as a co-moderator of #suptchat, the international Twitter Chat for Superintendents. He facilitates the Illinois Global Service Project and annually takes a group of Superintendents and School Board Members from across Illinois to serve schools and students in the Dominican Republic. He has co-authored five books: The Unlearning Leader: Leading for Tomorrow’s Schools Today, Student Voice: From Invisible to Invaluable, The Unfinished Leader: A Leadership Framework for Growth and Development, The Unfinished Teacher: Becoming the Next Version of Yourself, and Leading for Tomorrow’s Schools Today. Nick facilitates the AASA Innovation for Transformation Consortium, the IASA Aspiring Superintendents Academy, and the AASA Aspiring Superintendents Academy. He can be followed at @npolyak.
Dr. Nick Polyak serves as the Superintendent for Leyden Community High School District #212. The district contains two comprehensive high schools with 3,500 students from Franklin Park, Melrose Park, Northlake, River Grove, Rosemont, Schiller Park, and Unincorporated Leyden Township. Nick is married with four children, and they reside in suburban Chicago.
Nick earned a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree in Educational Leadership and Supervision from Loyola University Chicago where he received the Phi Delta Kappa Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award. He holds a Master of Arts Degree and Chief School Business Officer (CSBO) license from Governors State University. Dr. Polyak’s undergraduate work was at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mathematics and Secondary Education.
Nick began his educational career in Lincoln-Way High School District 210 as a high school Math Teacher and Tennis/Soccer Coach. He had opportunities at Lincoln-Way to serve as a Dean of Students, Assistant Principal, and Director of Instruction and Staff Development. He then moved to the Peoria area for four years where he served as the Superintendent for Illinois Valley Central School District #321.
Nick is proud to lead an award-winning school district. They were named the 2014 National Advanced Placement District of the Year by the College Board. In addition, the district has welcomed thousands of visitors to learn about teaching and learning in a 1:1 environment. Leyden has been recognized with two Magna Awards from the National School Board Association (NSBA) and a Digital Content and Curriculum Award. Both Leyden High Schools have been named Illinois Democracy Schools. Leyden has also been named to the listing of the Top 100 Workplaces by the Chicago Tribune four different times.
Dr. Polyak believes strongly in community involvement. He is the Past-President of two different Chambers of Commerce; served four years as a School Board Member in Manhattan School District 114; coached youth sports, and has been involved in a variety of other community groups and charitable efforts. Nick completed the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA) School for Advanced Leadership in 2014 and the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) National Superintendent Certification Program in 2016.
Nick spent 10 years as a co-moderator of #suptchat, the international Twitter Chat for Superintendents. He facilitates the Illinois Global Service Project and annually takes a group of Superintendents and School Board Members from across Illinois to serve schools and students in the Dominican Republic. He has co-authored five books: The Unlearning Leader: Leading for Tomorrow’s Schools Today, Student Voice: From Invisible to Invaluable, The Unfinished Leader: A Leadership Framework for Growth and Development, The Unfinished Teacher: Becoming the Next Version of Yourself, and Leading for Tomorrow’s Schools Today. Nick facilitates the AASA Innovation for Transformation Consortium, the IASA Aspiring Superintendents Academy, and the AASA Aspiring Superintendents Academy. He can be followed at @npolyak.