D308 Administrator Hired As 1st Chief Operating Officer For Sycamore School District

OSWEGO, IL — The assistant superintendent of student services from Oswego Community Unit School District 308 was appointed the first chief operating officer at Sycamore Community School District 427, officials announced.

Jeremy Bell will begin the new role July 1, district administrators announced June 11. The Board of Education approved a two-year contract for Bell at its June 9 meeting, with a salary of $187,500 for the 2026-27 school year, according to a report from Shaw Local.

Bell will be tasked with providing leadership and oversight for the district's operational systems and business services to ensure resources, processes and support structures help serve students and families, Sycamore said in a news release.

He brings more than 20 years of educational leadership experience to the position. Before Oswego, he worked as executive director of student services at East Aurora School District 131, managing budgets, coordinating district-wide compliance and support services, and developing systems that strengthened operations.

Superintendent Kristen Campbell, whose last role was as assistant superintendent of high schools for Oswego School District 308, said Bell is "uniquely qualified" to serve as chief operating officer.

"In a meaningful full-circle journey, Jeremy actually began his career right here in our community at Sycamore Middle School," she said in a statement. "His career trajectory showcases a steady rise through increasingly complex administrative and district-level systems. Mr. Bell's expansive professional background, paired with his unique personal connection to Sycamore, makes him uniquely qualified to lead our district's business and operational infrastructure toward long-term sustainability."

Bell's onboarding coincided with the hiring of Sycamore's new director of learning and teaching for elementary school students, Svetlana Popovic. Both roles are part of a reorganization of the district's administrative structure, which also includes the creation of Sycamore's first chief academic officer position, Shaw Local reported.

Bell has master's degrees in social work and educational leadership from Aurora University. He is also pursing a doctorate degree in education.

"I am truly honored to join Sycamore 427 as Chief Operating Officer," Bell said in a statement. "I am passionate about serving students, supporting staff, and building strong relationships with families and community members. I look forward to listening, learning, and working alongside this incredible community to ensure every decision reflects our shared commitment to students."