After starting its discussion in late summer over whether to extend the contract of Supt. Attila Weninger or to begin the process of looking for his replacement, the District 200 Board of Education is still weighing which course to take.

The board and superintendent have met in several executive sessions since the start of the school year concerning his contract. In a voicemail message left with Wednesday Journal Tuesday morning, Board President Dietra Millard said that, at this point, the superintendent and the board are continuing their discussions. On Friday, Weninger said he had encouraged the board to make its decision by late September or early October. The superintendent is hopeful that a decision will be made soon. Weninger signed a three-year contract following his hiring in May 2007 and is in the final year of that deal.

When the board began its search to replace former Supt. Susan Bridge, who retired in 2007, that process began in September 2006. The board hired Houston-based BWP & Associates to conduct its search, but before doing so, it went through a search-and-interview process that summer to the find the firm. By December 2006, the firm had lined up three candidates, all of whom the board passed on. That led to another round up of three finalists, including Weninger, in spring 2007. The school also hosted public forums with all six finalists, another timely aspect of the search process. One of spring finalists soon dropped out, and by late April 2006, the board agreed on Weninger.

In 2008, the board approved a 4-percent pay hike for Weninger, an $8,000 increase over his initial $200,000 salary. This year, owing to budget considerations in a difficult economy, Weninger asked that no raise be considered for him.