Polyak '99 named 2026 Superintendent of the Year

When Dr. Nick Polyak ’99 walks the halls of East and West Leyden high schools, a morning greeting becomes a conversation about a teacher’s career milestone. A quick hello turns into a congratulatory handshake for a student’s recent achievement.

For Dr. Polyak, superintendent of Leyden High School District 212, these personal connections are not distractions from his work — they are his work.

His former mentor at Augustana, Dr. Michael Schroeder, views Dr. Polyak’s ability to connect with students, faculty and staff as one reason he was selected as the 2026 Superintendent of the Year by the Illinois Association of School Administrators.

The ability to make everyone feel seen, Dr. Schroeder said, has been central to the award-winning superintendent’s leadership. His career can be defined by his personal touch, trust and an unwavering focus on what is best for students.

“Being a superintendent is not a job, it’s a calling,” said Gregory Ignoffo, president of the Leyden District 212 Board of Education. “This is a 24/7, 365 job. We know Nick is wrestling with monumental decisions on where we’re going with our district, our students, our community, and he just makes it look so simple.”

Those who work with Dr. Polyak consistently point to his ability to bring people together. He creates spaces where students feel they belong and teachers feel empowered to lead. His positive approach and focus on providing opportunity and access are core to both his identity and leadership philosophy.

Respect for Dr. Polyak extends beyond Leyden. “People trust Nick because he’s real,” said Dr. Michael Lubelfeld, superintendent of North Shore School District 112. “He listens, gives straight feedback and balances empathy with firmness. I’m so proud that the most humble guy I know, and honestly the best leader I know, is getting this award.”

Under Dr. Polyak’s leadership, Leyden has completed more than $200 million in facility modernization projects, updating 60- and 100-year-old buildings, without raising local property taxes. A pioneer in educational technology, Leyden was one of the first three school districts in the nation to adopt Chromebooks in 2012 and moved toward e-learning implementation well before the COVID pandemic.

Nationally, Dr. Polyak has led three AASA (The School Superintendents Association) leadership cohorts and taught aspiring superintendents through blended programs that connect leaders across states. His influence as a thought leader in education is reflected in his five published books, his decade of work running the international #suptchat on Twitter/X, and his keynote presentations delivered on five continents.

Dr. Polyak traces his passion for education back to his time at Augustana, where he learned firsthand its power to change lives. Mentors like Dr. Schroeder not only taught him the mechanics of being an educator, but also modeled what it meant to serve students every day. He remembers his observation hours at Rock Island High School and his student teaching at Alleman like it was yesterday.

“At Leyden, we use the phrase ‘What’s Best for the Kids,’” Dr. Polyak said. “Administration involves a lot of adult issues, but I always try to bring decisions back to what is in the best interest of our students.”

Now in his 17th year as a superintendent, Dr. Polyak is quick to deflect praise, viewing the recent IASA award as a reflection of the collective work across the district to support 3,500 students. “Very little of what we’ve accomplished is directly due to me,” he said.

Still, the impact of his leadership is clear in the relationships he builds, the opportunities he creates for students and faculty, and the example he sets. That legacy continues at home as well, as Dr. Polyak proudly notes that his son Ben Polyak ’28 is attending Augustana with plans to become an educator.

“There is no better career than education,” Dr. Polyak said. “We're a service industry that directly impacts the future of the world. If you think it’s about ‘you,’ you’re in the wrong field.”