Just two superintendents have been in their position for 10 or more years Spring Lake’s Dennis Furton (13 years) and Hamilton’s David Tebo (10.5 years).
With so many seasoned leaders exiting the room, how might that affect the educational landscape in Ottawa County?
“Education is losing a number of champions,” Tebo said. “There’s so much institutional knowledge that’s leaving our community right now. Some of the best educational leaders I’ve ever worked with are stepping aside. It’s hard to get your head around.”
Losing leaders
Five of the six retired or retiring superintendents had been leading their respective district for at least nine years, giving them plenty of time to impart lessons on some of the newer school chiefs.
HOLLAND When Brian Davis retires as superintendent of Holland Public Schools later this year, it won’t be the end of his career in education.
The longtime HPS leader will transition into a leadership role with the Michigan Association of Superintendents and Administrators (MASA) beginning July 1.
Davis has been a member of MASA since becoming HPS superintendent in 2008 and has served as a region president and executive board member with MASA.
“When time came for me to retire and look for something different to do, this seemed like a perfect fit,” Davis said. “Getting engaged in an organization that’s membership driven, that supported me in my professional career, it’s an opportunity to pay it forward and pay it back at the same time.”
Pandemic worsening Michigan s teacher shortage
Retirements increased 44% between August and February
and last updated 2021-04-21 19:26:02-04
WXMI â Teacher shortages were already an issue in Michigan pre-pandemic, but exhaust from a year of coronavirus and virtual learning have skyrocketed educator retirements, exacerbating an already overwhelming problem for public, private and charter schools.
âNot just for teachers but for educators in general,â said Tina Kerr, executive director of the Michigan Association of Superintendents and Administrators. âWe have a staffing shortage with para-pros, bus drivers, administrators. The pandemic just exacerbated it; we already had a critical issue in the state.â
According to ChalkBeat, Michigan teacher retirements between this past August and February increased 44% compared to the same time period in 2019-2020. It represents just shy of 800 educators.
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