Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Focus groups commence Wednesday in the search for a new District 186 school superintendent.

Jim Helton of the Illinois Association of School Boards presented results of a survey showing what attributes (pictured) people want to see in a new superintendent.

Superintendent Jennifer Gill touts the new ID badges for district employees; they feature a “panic button” on the rear. “One of the things we heard out of Georgia when there was an active shooter down there (in a district) that had Centigex (the brand of ID card) is that this absolutely saved lives,” Gill told the school board, “and I want to be somebody who is out there not worrying about when we accidentally hit it, but being the person who saves lives because we have it.”

The superintendent also had positive numbers about the SCOPE after-school program. The program now has 897 children plus a waiting list of 191. The total is up 132 from last year, and SCOPE is showing a profit of about $37,000.