By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
The Zeeland Public Schools have picked a former head of two West Michigan school districts to serve as interim superintendent while the search for a permanent superintendent continues.
The Board of Education at a special meeting last Friday afternoon appointed Dr. Scott Korpak to take over as ZPS interim superintendent, effective May 5.
Current Interim Superintendent Matt Stolz will leave ZPS May 2 to take an assistant superintendent position at West Ottawa Public Schools. Stolz, who was the district’s assistant superintendent of secondary curriculum since August 2021, became interim superintendent last October when Superintendent Dr. Brandi-Lyn Mendham went on medical leave. Mendham remains on leave at this time.
An educator with more than 20 years of administrative experience, Korpak served as superintendent of Hamilton Community Schools from July 2008 to June 2010 and superintendent of Northview Public Schools in suburban Grand Rapids from July 2015 to July 2023. More recently, he had been a district director for Michigan State University Extension, serving a four-county area that includes Ottawa County.
“He brings a wealth of experience, a calm leadership style, and a strong commitment to public education,” Board President April DeWitt said in a statement posted on the district’s website. “We’re confident that he will provide steady leadership during this important time of transition.”
During his interview with the school board, Korpak illustrated his approach to leading the district to lessons he learned working on farms while growing up.
“Whether it’s picking up rocks in the field or doing something else, there’s always work to be done. There’s always work to be done in the school district as well,” Korpak said. “I see my position as fitting in where needed, to do that work and to support all the people that are (part of the district).”
Korpak holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Cornerstone University, master’s and educational specialist degrees from Western Michigan University and a doctorate in educational leadership from Eastern Michigan University.
After voting to hire Korpak, the board set a timetable for finding a new superintendent. A series of stakeholder input sessions to help the board determine a profile of its ideal candidate began Tuesday. Another virtual input session for the community will be held via Zoom tonight at 7:30 p.m. An in-person input session that is open to parents, staff and the community will be held next Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the ZPS Administration Building, 183 W. Roosevelt Ave.
An online survey is also being offered by the district to collect additional feedback through next Monday. The 10-question survey can be found at surveymonkey .com/r/zeelandsearch. Survey responses will be sent directly to the Michigan Association of School Boards, which is assisting the district in the superintendent search, for tabulation.
Applications for the superintendent’s job will be accepted until 4 p.m. on May 27. The school board will hold a workshop for interview preparation and selecting candidates to be interviewed on June 5. The first round of interviews will be held June 13, with final interviews and an open house for the community to meet the finalists will be held on June 19. The new superintendent is expected to begin their duties July 1.
Zeeland Record
The Zeeland Public Schools have picked a former head of two West Michigan school districts to serve as interim superintendent while the search for a permanent superintendent continues.
The Board of Education at a special meeting last Friday afternoon appointed Dr. Scott Korpak to take over as ZPS interim superintendent, effective May 5.
Current Interim Superintendent Matt Stolz will leave ZPS May 2 to take an assistant superintendent position at West Ottawa Public Schools. Stolz, who was the district’s assistant superintendent of secondary curriculum since August 2021, became interim superintendent last October when Superintendent Dr. Brandi-Lyn Mendham went on medical leave. Mendham remains on leave at this time.
An educator with more than 20 years of administrative experience, Korpak served as superintendent of Hamilton Community Schools from July 2008 to June 2010 and superintendent of Northview Public Schools in suburban Grand Rapids from July 2015 to July 2023. More recently, he had been a district director for Michigan State University Extension, serving a four-county area that includes Ottawa County.
“He brings a wealth of experience, a calm leadership style, and a strong commitment to public education,” Board President April DeWitt said in a statement posted on the district’s website. “We’re confident that he will provide steady leadership during this important time of transition.”
During his interview with the school board, Korpak illustrated his approach to leading the district to lessons he learned working on farms while growing up.
“Whether it’s picking up rocks in the field or doing something else, there’s always work to be done. There’s always work to be done in the school district as well,” Korpak said. “I see my position as fitting in where needed, to do that work and to support all the people that are (part of the district).”
Korpak holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Cornerstone University, master’s and educational specialist degrees from Western Michigan University and a doctorate in educational leadership from Eastern Michigan University.
After voting to hire Korpak, the board set a timetable for finding a new superintendent. A series of stakeholder input sessions to help the board determine a profile of its ideal candidate began Tuesday. Another virtual input session for the community will be held via Zoom tonight at 7:30 p.m. An in-person input session that is open to parents, staff and the community will be held next Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the ZPS Administration Building, 183 W. Roosevelt Ave.
An online survey is also being offered by the district to collect additional feedback through next Monday. The 10-question survey can be found at surveymonkey .com/r/zeelandsearch. Survey responses will be sent directly to the Michigan Association of School Boards, which is assisting the district in the superintendent search, for tabulation.
Applications for the superintendent’s job will be accepted until 4 p.m. on May 27. The school board will hold a workshop for interview preparation and selecting candidates to be interviewed on June 5. The first round of interviews will be held June 13, with final interviews and an open house for the community to meet the finalists will be held on June 19. The new superintendent is expected to begin their duties July 1.
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