EDWARDSVILLE – As Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7 gears up for the 2026–2027 school year, Superintendent Dr. Allen Duncan can’t wait to jump into his new position.
Duncan took on the role of acting superintendent in September 2025, then became the interim superintendent in January 2026. He was officially appointed the district’s superintendent in May 2026. He shared that the last year has been “great,” and he is excited to continue learning and engaging with students and staff as the superintendent.
“I think it is important for everybody to understand and know that, although I’ve been in District #7 for 23 years — this is starting year 23 — this is truly year one in this role,” Duncan said. “My goal is really just to learn the district at this level, not come in and make a bunch of huge changes, not come in and try to stop things that we’ve been doing. It is truly more about me just learning the district.”
In the months leading up to Duncan’s official appointment as superintendent, he visited each school in District #7 and engaged with the staff and students on a personal level. He shared that this was the “most fun” he has had in this role. He noted that students are his priority and he built a career in education so he could support them.
“I got into education to be around kids,” he explained. “That’s what fills me up. That’s what recharges me. I’m going to be even more intentional this year to be more visible, more connected, because it’s just important. It’s important for me to see what’s going on. It’s important for staff and students to see me out, so that I know what’s happening in our schools. I can speak to it, and I can support them. And like I said, it’s really probably my favorite part of the job, just being able to interact with people, specifically kids and teachers.”
Duncan also collaborates closely with the Board of Education. These seven community members work with Duncan to lead the district and engage with stakeholders. The Board approved Duncan’s appointment as superintendent last year.
As the school year approaches, Duncan noted that this collaboration is “ongoing.” His administration and the Board members will continue to work together as they have throughout the past year.
“I think that we’ve done a really good job over the last year kind of feeling each other out and setting expectations and learning how they want to receive information, how they want information communicated to them and to the public,” he said.
Duncan intends for this school year to be “more of a learning year.” The district’s key priorities — student safety, academic achievement, transparency with the community, and fiscal responsibility — will remain top of mind. But he hopes to learn more about the needs of the teachers and the Edwardsville community and use that information to “chart the path for the next school year.”
He added that this school year does not include “a huge curricular push,” so teachers and administrators can instead focus on getting “really good at what they do.” Duncan believes this is an opportunity to assess the district’s “foundation” and “really get focused” on providing the best education and student experience possible, which has always been a district priority.
With the first day of school scheduled for Aug. 19, 2026, Duncan looks forward to another year of academic and athletic success. He is prepared to strengthen his partnerships with students, staff members and the Board of Education, and he encourages community members to reach out with any questions or concerns.
“If there’s something that stakeholders should know, it’s that I’m here. I’m going to work very hard for their students, for the staff, and for the community,” he added. “Hopefully it’ll just be a good, smooth school year because we need one. We’re due for one.”
