By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
The Zeeland Board of Education will interview six candidates for the position of district superintendent on Friday.
The interviews will begin at 12:30 p.m. at the ZPS Administration Building, 183 W. Roosevelt Ave., with each interview expected to last 50-55 minutes. The interviews are open to the public.
The school board last Thursday went over the resumes of 22 applicants for the position and decided to invite six of them in for a first round of interviews. Five of the six candidates are current superintendents.
“This is a very strong pool (of candidates),” said Rod Green, a consultant from the Michigan Association of School Boards who has been advising the board on the superintendent search.
Here is the interview schedule:
• 12:30 p.m.: John Mertz, who has been superintendent of Olivet Community Schools since 2020. Previously, he was the director of instructional services and human resources for the Bay-Arenac Intermediate School District for five years and the superintendent in Essexville-Hampton Public Schools for seven years. He served in numerous leadership roles in Essexville and also taught in Essexville.
• 1:30 p.m.: Greg Helmer, who has been superintendent of Ravenna Public Schools since 2018. Previously, he served as superintendent, assistant superintendent and building principal in Mona Shores Public Schools, principal and assistant principal in Reeths-Puffer Schools, and teacher and coach in Orchard View Schools.
• 2:30 p.m.: Dr. Brad Lusk, who has been superintendent of Hamilton Community Schools since 2022. Before coming to Hamilton, he served as a principal at Fowlerville High School, an assistant principal at Grandville High School, and as a teacher and coach in Grandville.
• 4 p.m.: Jon Voss, who has been ZPS assistant superintendent of administrative services since 2012. Previously, he was principal at Cityside Middle School for eight years and taught at the middle school and high school level at Holland Public Schools for eight years.
• 5 p.m.: Rod Hetherton, who has been superintendent in Swartz Creek Community Schools since 2022. Previously, he was an assistant superintendent and principal in Swartz Creek. He was also a teacher and coach in Waverly Community Schools near Lansing and Fenton Area Public Schools near Flint.
• 6 p.m.: Dr. Pete Wilson, who has been superintendent of Lake Geneva Schools in Lake Geneva, Wis. since 2022. A native of Michigan, he previously served as the director of administrative services for the DeForest (Wis.) Area School District. He was also the director of student services for Stoughton Area (Wis.) School District.
After the interviews, the board is expected to narrow the field of candidates to two or three finalists to bring back for a second round of interviews next Thursday. The board anticipates appointing a new superintendent to begin his duties on July 1.
The Zeeland board decided April 1 to begin the search for a new superintendent. Dr. Brandi-Lyn Mendham, who has been ZPS superintendent since July 2021, went on leave last October for medical reasons and remains on leave.
Zeeland Record
The Zeeland Board of Education will interview six candidates for the position of district superintendent on Friday.
The interviews will begin at 12:30 p.m. at the ZPS Administration Building, 183 W. Roosevelt Ave., with each interview expected to last 50-55 minutes. The interviews are open to the public.
The school board last Thursday went over the resumes of 22 applicants for the position and decided to invite six of them in for a first round of interviews. Five of the six candidates are current superintendents.
“This is a very strong pool (of candidates),” said Rod Green, a consultant from the Michigan Association of School Boards who has been advising the board on the superintendent search.
Here is the interview schedule:
• 12:30 p.m.: John Mertz, who has been superintendent of Olivet Community Schools since 2020. Previously, he was the director of instructional services and human resources for the Bay-Arenac Intermediate School District for five years and the superintendent in Essexville-Hampton Public Schools for seven years. He served in numerous leadership roles in Essexville and also taught in Essexville.
• 1:30 p.m.: Greg Helmer, who has been superintendent of Ravenna Public Schools since 2018. Previously, he served as superintendent, assistant superintendent and building principal in Mona Shores Public Schools, principal and assistant principal in Reeths-Puffer Schools, and teacher and coach in Orchard View Schools.
• 2:30 p.m.: Dr. Brad Lusk, who has been superintendent of Hamilton Community Schools since 2022. Before coming to Hamilton, he served as a principal at Fowlerville High School, an assistant principal at Grandville High School, and as a teacher and coach in Grandville.
• 4 p.m.: Jon Voss, who has been ZPS assistant superintendent of administrative services since 2012. Previously, he was principal at Cityside Middle School for eight years and taught at the middle school and high school level at Holland Public Schools for eight years.
• 5 p.m.: Rod Hetherton, who has been superintendent in Swartz Creek Community Schools since 2022. Previously, he was an assistant superintendent and principal in Swartz Creek. He was also a teacher and coach in Waverly Community Schools near Lansing and Fenton Area Public Schools near Flint.
• 6 p.m.: Dr. Pete Wilson, who has been superintendent of Lake Geneva Schools in Lake Geneva, Wis. since 2022. A native of Michigan, he previously served as the director of administrative services for the DeForest (Wis.) Area School District. He was also the director of student services for Stoughton Area (Wis.) School District.
After the interviews, the board is expected to narrow the field of candidates to two or three finalists to bring back for a second round of interviews next Thursday. The board anticipates appointing a new superintendent to begin his duties on July 1.
The Zeeland board decided April 1 to begin the search for a new superintendent. Dr. Brandi-Lyn Mendham, who has been ZPS superintendent since July 2021, went on leave last October for medical reasons and remains on leave.
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