GRASS LAKE, MI - Candidates eyeing the soon-to-be-vacant superintendent position at Grass Lake Community Schools have begun making their cases to the school community.
First-round interviews for the superintendent seat kicked off Tuesday, June 4 during a Grass Lake School Board meeting at the George Long Elementary School media center.
The seat to be vacated by outgoing superintendent Ryle Kiser is expected to be filled by July 1, school officials said.
Related: Retiring Grass Lake superintendent looks back on time with district
Chelsea High School Principal Nick Angel was the first candidate of the night to be interviewed, speaking before a packed crowd including several family members, staff and administrators from the Chelsea School District.
Angel said a superintendent needs to view their position as a “calling” instead of simply another job, stressing that his eyes are set solely on Grass Lake and he isn’t looking at other superintendent jobs currently.
“My goal is to retire as the superintendent of Grass Lake Schools,” Angel said. “This isn’t a stepping stone, this isn’t the new best thing - this is a community that deserves longevity. This is a community the deserves passionate leadership.”
Across his 21-year career, Angel said he’s proven one of his greatest skills is the ability to assemble a competent and compassionate leadership team.
Before being named high school principal in 2021, Angel served in other administration positions in Chelsea dating back to 2008, including stints as Beach Middle School principal and assistant principal. Angel also worked as a high school English teacher in Blissfield Community Schools from 2003-08.
Fellow interviewee Jennifer Herbstreit felt she would fit in well at Grass Lake since she shares the district’s singular focus and the success and well-being of students.
“I care deeply about people and about building relationships and inspiring people to do great work,” Herbstreit said.
Serving as assistant Superintendent for instruction at Holly Area Schools since 2018, Herbstreit said she would be honored to join a district with as rich a history of strong academics and athletics as Grass Lake.
In response to a question from the board regarding how she would maintain strong communication and trust between district leadership in the superintendent role, Herbstreit said she would work the make inter-district communication as clear, transparent and frequent as possible for everyone from students to stakeholders.
“It’s important to keep the community involved, keeping teachers deeply involved in the decisions that are being made,” Herbstreit said. “It’s also really important for student voice to be involved in decisions about how school is functioning and what their learning paths look like.”
Before her time at Holly, Herbstreit was an elementary principal in South Lyon from 2015-18, a principal and technology/curriculum director at Byron Elementary School from 2012-15 and a middle school math teacher at Fenton Area Public Schools from 1995-2012.
Rounding out the first night of interviews was Brady Cook - the current superintendent of the Michigan Center School District.
Cook said he feels no pressure seeking the new superintendent position given how satisfied he is in his current role with Michigan Center, though the Grass Lake job has several attractive qualities. Chief among these qualities is the opportunity to be a leader in a community that’s had such an influential impact on his own life. Cook is a Grass Lake schools graduate and resident who previously served the district as a teacher and coach from 1998-2004.
Another important reason for Cook’s interest in the role is his dog, who he said would be “so happy” if his owner suddenly had a shorter commute to work.
Across his 26-years in education, Cook said his core guiding principal is to always do what is right for students.
“Along the way I have made tough decisions, I have people who might not be happy with some decisions I’ve made, but no one would ever tell you that I don’t do what’s right for students 100% of the time,” Cook said.
Cook said being visible and engaged with the school community is his favorite part of his job, attending concerts, sporting events and plays as often as possible.
“That’s the reward for doing the hard stuff in these jobs,” Cook said. “That’s who I am as an leader in education - I’m boots-on-the-ground.”
Cook served Michigan Center as principal and athletic director from 2004-13 and was named superintendent in 2017.
The second half of the six candidates will be interviewed on Friday, June 7. The next batch of interviewees include Brian Thompson, Grass Lake High School’s principal; Napoleon High School Principal Pat Dillon; and Terry Sedlar, director of human resources/operations in Olivet Community Schools.
Following the second set of interviews on Friday, the board will pick two or three finalists to return for a second and potentially final round of interviews on Friday, June 14. An open house to introduce the finalists to staff and community members will begin at 5 p.m., with interviews following at 6 p.m., officials said.
Grass Lake School Board members said the year’s candidate pool was “excellent,” with 22 applicants being narrowed down to these six interviewees. The board is being assisted in the search process by the Michigan Association of School Boards, with Rodney Green acting as consultant.
If you would like more reporting like this delivered free to your inbox, click here and signup for our weekly newsletter: Michigan Schools.
Want more Jackson-area news? Bookmark the local Jackson news page or sign up for the free “3@3 Jackson” daily newsletter
Stories by Mitchell Kukulka
- Jackson’s ‘drug lady’ retires after 32 years of preventative education
- Meet the Teacher: He engages Jackson students with his humor, passion for science
- Summit Township moves forward with new ordinance for asphalt plant development
- Reconstruction begins at aging Jackson County Airport
- 5 great places to go for a hike in Jackson County
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
