Tom Den Herder
By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
When Tom Den Herder first ran for the Zeeland Board of Education in June 2002, he won election by a mere two votes.
Den Herder finished second among nine candidates in that election, nosing out incumbent Don Lake, 616-614, for the second available board seat.
Now, nearly a quarter-century later, Den Herder says it’s time for a new person to take his seat on the school board. He announced at the board’s June 8 meeting that he will not seek re-election this November.
“Twenty-four years is enough, especially when we’re servicing everything that I helped bring into this place,” Den Herder said in his announcement. “It’s time to move on.”
Den Herder’s 24 years of service is the longest of any board member in the recent history of Zeeland Public Schools. He said that he expects to move out of the Zeeland district.
Board President Rick Dernberger thanked Den Herder for his service.
“You have been our human archivist,” Dernberger said. “This will be a great loss, just having that institutional memory of the board.”
Den Herder served several times as president of the school board, most recently through the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 that resulted in unprecedented changes in how ZPS students were educated. He is currently the board treasurer and also chairs the board’s Finance Committee.
Den Herder has also been active in numerous community organizations. He is a past chairman of the Zeeland Education Foundation Board of Directors and is currently a trustee on the board of the Community Foundation of the Holland/ Zeeland Area, which he once served as its president.
The longest-serving member of the Zeeland school board ever is believed to be William D. Van Loo, who served for 33 years, although not consecutively, before he retired from the board in July 1941, according to an account in the Zeeland Record published after Van Loo’s death in December 1943.
A total of three six-year seats on the ZPS board are up for election this year. Other board members whose terms expire this year are Chad Creevy and Heidi Geerlings. Creevy has been on the board since 2021 while Geerlings has been on since 2022.
Zeeland Record
When Tom Den Herder first ran for the Zeeland Board of Education in June 2002, he won election by a mere two votes.
Den Herder finished second among nine candidates in that election, nosing out incumbent Don Lake, 616-614, for the second available board seat.
Now, nearly a quarter-century later, Den Herder says it’s time for a new person to take his seat on the school board. He announced at the board’s June 8 meeting that he will not seek re-election this November.
“Twenty-four years is enough, especially when we’re servicing everything that I helped bring into this place,” Den Herder said in his announcement. “It’s time to move on.”
Den Herder’s 24 years of service is the longest of any board member in the recent history of Zeeland Public Schools. He said that he expects to move out of the Zeeland district.
Board President Rick Dernberger thanked Den Herder for his service.
“You have been our human archivist,” Dernberger said. “This will be a great loss, just having that institutional memory of the board.”
Den Herder served several times as president of the school board, most recently through the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 that resulted in unprecedented changes in how ZPS students were educated. He is currently the board treasurer and also chairs the board’s Finance Committee.
Den Herder has also been active in numerous community organizations. He is a past chairman of the Zeeland Education Foundation Board of Directors and is currently a trustee on the board of the Community Foundation of the Holland/ Zeeland Area, which he once served as its president.
The longest-serving member of the Zeeland school board ever is believed to be William D. Van Loo, who served for 33 years, although not consecutively, before he retired from the board in July 1941, according to an account in the Zeeland Record published after Van Loo’s death in December 1943.
A total of three six-year seats on the ZPS board are up for election this year. Other board members whose terms expire this year are Chad Creevy and Heidi Geerlings. Creevy has been on the board since 2021 while Geerlings has been on since 2022.
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