Though Martha Ryan-Toye will be leaving her job as director of student services at River Forest District 90 this summer, she won't be moving too far.
On Feb. 2, the Oak Park resident was named the new superintendent of Riverside School District 96, a position she will assume on July 1.
The promotion is bittersweet for Ryan-Toye, as she'll be leaving the only public school district she has ever known as a professional.
"I came here in 1994," Ryan-Toye said. "I've been working on my superintendent's license and doctorate for the last four years. This has been on my horizon to move into a superintendent role."
As a young mom working in the city, a chance meeting with an administrator in Oak Park brought her to the place she would call home for more than two decades.
"I was living in Oak Park and had a 6-month-old child," Ryan-Toye said. "I met the special education director in Oak Park and she said I should look into this job in River Forest, and 22 years later, here I am."
Born in Wisconsin, Ryan-Toye attended Northwestern University in Evanston, where she earned bachelor's and master's degrees. After graduating in 1985, she began working in Chicago at a private day school.
"I worked with children in connection with Michael Reese Hospital," Ryan-Toye said. "The school still exists, but Easter Seals now runs it. I spent time as an assistant principal and worked two jobs in private schools before coming to River Forest."
In River Forest, Ryan-Toye began serving as the director of special education before assuming the role of director of student services in 2010.
As the superintendent of Riverside District 96, Ryan-Toye will oversee four pre-kindergarten through fifth-grade schools and one junior high school. The district has nearly 1,700 students and 255 employees.
"I just plan to get to know people," Ryan-Toye said. "They have some identified goals and a new strategic plan with projects on their way. My first big steps are going to be getting to know the teachers, administrators, the board and getting to know the lives of the kids."
District 90 Superintendent Ed Condon said a search for Ryan-Toye's successor will begin immediately, and had nothing but praise for her work in River Forest.
"She has been an incredible asset to District 90," Condon said. "This is a great professional move for Martha, as it leverages her experience and affection for students, but it is also a loss for District 90 and our administrative team. She is a valued leader who is energetic and passionate about advancing the education and social/emotional experiences for all students."
Though she will be moving on, Ryan-Toye knows she will continue to be in contact with the many River Forest friends and families she has gotten to know over the years.
"It will be nice because of the different regional connections here in western Cook County," Ryan-Toye said. "I told [Condon] I'm not one to say goodbye. Being in Riverside kind of assures my continued connection to this region. River Forest is a strong community that has a real love for their public schools. I think that's so much a part of their success."
Twitter: @steveschering
