A longtime educator, Knox County native, and three-time Western Illinois University graduate will become the first woman to lead Galesburg District 205 when she takes over as superintendent next summer.
The school board voted at a special meeting Wednesday to hire Sheila Coussens-Martin, who has served as assistant superintendent of curriculum and personnel at Pekin Community High School District since 2019.
She will succeed John Asplund, who is retiring June 30, 2027.
Coussens-Martin grew up in St. Augustine in southern Knox County and is a graduate of Avon High School.
“But I grew up running around Galesburg as a teenager. I grew up in Lake Storey, at the library, cruising from McDonald's to McDonald's in my teen years. So in many ways, I grew up here,” she said after the meeting.
Coussens-Martin said her connections to the area made the opportunity to lead the district particularly meaningful.
“It's just so exciting to see the upswing in the community, in industry, in civic groups,” she said. “I just appreciate everything Galesburg has to offer as a community, and then as a school, boy, are there amazing things being done here.”
Coussens-Martin brings more than 25 years of experience in Illinois public education to the role. Before joining Pekin High School, she worked as a teacher and coach in the Bushnell-Prairie City, Galva, and Canton school districts.
At Pekin, she advanced through several leadership positions before becoming an assistant superintendent, including English department chair, instructional methods facilitator, and assistant principal of teaching and learning.
“I really grew as a leader,” Coussens-Martin said. “I've just worked my way up in different roles in the principal's office. I've been excited and ready to be a superintendent for some time.”
Coussens-Martin earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame, then came back home and earned her teaching certificate from Western Illinois University. She went on to earn her master’s, education specialist, and doctoral degrees from WIU.
She also teaches from time to time at WIU.
She holds a Chief School Business Official endorsement from the University of Illinois Springfield as well.
In her current role, Coussens-Martin oversees curriculum, instruction, and personnel and works with district leaders on financial operations, board governance, and contract negotiations. She said she has helped negotiate two contracts.
During her tenure in Pekin, she has expanded career and technical education, dual credit, Advanced Placement, and special education opportunities. She’s also improved graduation and ninth-grade on-track rates.
She praised the work of Asplund, another Knox County native, who has led the district since 2017.
“He and his team have done so much with facilities, but what they've done to really bring financial stability is something to behold,” Coussens-Martin said.
Coussens-Martin said she wants to explore ways to expand work-based learning opportunities in Galesburg, given what she called the district's “vibrant vocational center.” She also wants to dig into achievement gaps among students from low-income households and students of different racial and ethnic backgrounds.
“I think we can't consider ourselves truly successful as a district until all student groups have opportunities to succeed,” she said. “I know a lot of work's already been done but I'm looking forward to making some movement there.”
The school board led the search and received 15 applications.
Board President Courtney Rodriguez said the board sought a superintendent who could build strong relationships, support staff, focus on student achievement and address the district's challenges and opportunities.
She said it was a “long seven months of commitment” for board members and thanked them for their time.
“We hope to have a smooth transition within the next several months,” Rodriguez said.
Coussens-Martin’s base salary will be $230,000. This story will be updated with the details of her contract when the district makes the information available.
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