Brett Gallini did not wait for summer to become visible in CCSD59.

When he learned his predecessor would leave before his planned arrival, Gallini said he offered to advance his start date rather than have employees and families experience another interim transition.

"For me, it was an easy decision, and looking back, it was absolutely the right one," Gallini said in a written response to EdTribune.

By the time he wrote back, Gallini said he had completed 50 school visits in ten weeks, covering more than 150 classrooms.

"I’ve fully committed myself to this role, and as superintendent, it is important that the people who make this district great see me 'in the work' alongside them," he said.

A District Rebuilding From a Smaller Base

CCSD59 enrolled 5,845 students in 2026. That was down 1,165 students from 2015, a 16.6% decline, though the district has edged upward since its 2023 low point. The latest year-over-year move was an increase of 23 students, or 0.4%.

The student population Gallini is leading is also highly multilingual. In 2026, 47.2% of CCSD59 students were English learners, 57.7% were economically disadvantaged, and Hispanic students made up 42.0% of race-reported enrollment.

Gallini's early visits are instructional by design, he said. They typically end with a debrief and feedback conversation with the principal, and he described principals and assistant principals as embracing their role as instructional leaders.

"I’ve spent more than 25 years in public education and have served in nearly every role within a school system," Gallini said. "The best place to be is on a campus, so whenever my schedule permits, that is where you will find me."

Doubling Down on Academics

Gallini said the district is preparing to launch a new strategic plan in August, with a clear academic emphasis.

"For us, that means doubling down on academics," he said. "Our commitment ... is simple: delivering high-quality instruction for every student, regardless of their level."

He tied that to a "high-performance culture" in which adults work in lockstep and hold one another accountable.

Gallini also described the move to the district as personal. He has worked in Texas, New York City, and Los Angeles, but said the CCSD59 superintendent search profile matched the kind of leader he believed he could be: visible, supportive, instructional, and student-centered. His two elementary-aged children now attend CCSD59 schools.

"I know we're exactly where we need to be," Gallini said. "My boys love their school, their teachers, and they are learning."

The early start changed the opening chapter. Instead of arriving after the school year ended, Gallini began by walking classrooms, meeting staff, and making the superintendent's office less distant from the work he says matters most.

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