Mr. Mark Cross has served Cass School District 63 as superintendent since July 1, 2020. Mr. Cross has 31 years of experience as an educator and 27 years as an administrator, including 20 years as an elementary district superintendent. He previously served as the superintendent at Peru Elementary School District 124, where he oversaw the complete rebuilding of the community’s schools through $32 million of construction without a property tax increase. Prior to his current position in Cass School District 63, Mr. Cross served as a superintendent, assistant superintendent, high school principal, special education teacher and junior high and high school baseball and basketball coach.

Mr. Cross earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as completed his superintendent and chief school business official post-graduate work, at Illinois State University. In addition to his work as a school leader, he has served as an adjunct instructor in educational leadership at both Aurora University and the University of St. Francis. Mr. Cross has held a variety of local and statewide leadership positions, including serving as Treasurer on the Board of Directors for the Illinois Association of School Administrators. He previously served on the Equitable and Adequate Funding Committee for the Illinois Vision 20/20 Task Force and was also named as an Illinois Superintendent of Distinction in 2018. Mr. Cross is also active in the Darien Rotary Club, is a Paul Harris Fellow and has been a member of Rotary International for almost 25 years. 

Mr. Cross and his wife live in the western suburbs, near their two children and two young grandchildren.