ALPENA – Alpena Public Schools will have a new superintendent for the 2016-17 school year, as Brent Holcomb announced he is resigning from his current position to accept another job in Michigan.

Holcomb who was hired in 2007, said he has been keeping his eyes open for a job that will allow him to be closer to family, but wasn’t beating the pavement hard. When it was offered to become the superintendent for Lewis Cass Intermediate School District, he said it was too good to turn down.

“This hasn’t been an al-out push to find a new job, but my parents live in Muskegon and this one happened to pop up. I think it is going to be a good move all the way around,” Holcomb said. “It is a step up, in my opinion, career-wise and our parents aren’t getting any younger.”

Holcomb will finish out the current school year and then the search for a replacement will begin. School board Treasurer Mike Barnett said the plan to find Holcomb’s replacement will be determined at the board’s meeting Monday. He said Holcomb, who is under contract until June 2018, has done a good job and wishes him the best moving forward.

“I appreciate what he has done and you can’t blame anyone who wants to be closer to their family,” Barnett said.

Holcomb said it was not an easy decision because he and his wife Alice are fond of Alpena and its community. He said the work he has done for APS has helped to prepare him for his new job and he is confident APS will be left in good hands.

He said he has no regrets about how he conducted business at APS, but admitted there were some challenges during his tenure. Among them were a highly publicized labor dispute with teachers and coping with stiff financial cuts from the state.

“There were some things that were difficult and some tough decisions that needed to be executed, but they were necessary” Holcomb said. “State politics dictated some of the human impact on the staff and I feel bad about that and I’m sure there are still some hurt feelings about that.”

He said overall he thinks he has left the school system healthy in terms of academics and finances and the future is bright.

“The district is in a very good position right now,” Holcomb said. “We will come out of deficit in June and I think there will be some reserves.”

Holcomb said staff from top to bottom have played a critical role in helping solidify APS and because of the strength\, it should lead to a smooth transition for his replacement.

“I can’t imagine a new person coming in will ever find a better staff,” Holcomb said. “There is a great support staff and a lot of great people who work hard to support the kids. I have enjoyed working with all of them and will deeply miss them.”

Steve Schulwitz can be reached via email at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5689.

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