News Photo by Tyler Winowiecki Alpena Public Schools Superintendent John VanWagoner meets with the APS Parent Advisory Council to hear concerns and answer questions recently. VanWagoner, who began his tenure at APS in August, will become the senior most superintendent within the Alpena-Montmorency-Alcona Educational Service District on July 1. The retirements and turnover at the superintendent position was not limited to the AMA ESD but instead a part of a larger trend in Michigan public schools in recent years.

Superintendents are tasked with leading a school district — carrying out the mission of the district by providing students with the best education possible. Change at the top is inevitable, but just how long a superintendent stays with a school district seems to be getting shorter.

With two schools in The News’ coverage area set to see their superintendents leave at the end of June, Onaway Superintendent Rod Fullerton will be the only area superintendent with more than two years in his current position. Looking at the 22 school districts across Northeast Michigan — M-55 west from Tawas to I-75 north to Cheboygan — only four other districts have had the same superintendent longer than Fullerton.

Today, and continuing over the next three days, The News will take a look at that trend and why it seems to be happening with more frequency.

Donna Oser, director of leadership development and executive services at the Michigan Association of School Boards, said there was no particular reason to this trend but rather a series of changes that have affected Michigan public school districts in terms of changeover of superintendent positions.

“One of the things we are painfully aware of is the position as a whole is not as attractive as it used to be,” Oser said. “Historically the superintendent was a leader in the community and had much higher stature 30 years ago.”

Oser said there is a multitude of reasons for this including less funding to schools, career trajectory where entry level superintendents move to larger districts, changes to how school board members are elected and the quality of relations superintendents have with the school board and its individuals.

In late July last year Alpena Public Schools Board of Education inked a three-year contract with Dr. John VanWagoner following the departure of former Superintendent Brent Holcomb, who left to take over as superintendent of Lewis Cass Intermediate School District and be closer to his family. APS board President Gordon Snow said it was a natural transition for the district.

“Generally the superintendents have stayed a long time in our district,” he said. “And we have what I think is a really good relationship (with VanWagoner) which is still being developed since he just started in August.”

Snow said the transition for VanWagoner into the district has been smooth and easy. This is in part because VanWagoner had presented board members with a 100 days plan during his initial interview, he said.

“It was a roadmap for how he was going to do things, how he would keep us informed on meeting with staff and community members and even joining organizations like Rotary,” he said. “I was impressed with him just putting together the plan and the fact he kept us up to date on carrying that plan out.”

APS’s superintendent transition was not unique either.

At Gaylord Community Schools, Superintendent Brian Pearson came on in July 2016 following the retirement of Cheryl Wojtas. Board President Jeff Wieber said Pearson was the natural choice having had been groomed by Wojtas and already possessing a thorough understanding of the district.

“Before interviews were completed we decided on Mr. Pearson,” Wieber said. “I think the transition was very smooth. He knew our culture, he knows what the board wants, he went to school here, he taught here and he lives here.”

Retirements, such as at GCS, also occurred at Alcona Community Schools, West Branch-Rose City Area Schools, Johannesburg-Lewiston Area Schools and the AMA ESD among other districts.

At Alcona Community Schools, Superintendent Shawn Thornton retired after spending 16 years with the district. The district saw no need to contract with a search service, choosing Principal Dan O’Connor, who besides his role as teacher and building principal, was provided leadership opportunities by Thornton.

“Mrs. Thornton did a wonderful job and gave me several leadership opportunities along the way,” he said. “That really allowed me to have a sense of the whole district. It has been extremely helpful to have those experiences to reflect on.”

After making the transition, O’Connor said that while everything is new, he has central office staff, board members and Thornton to help him out along the way.

“She promised to be available whenever I need to bounce an idea off her or if I need any assistance,” he said. “I can pick up the phone or send a quick text. She cares so much and it’s nice to know she will continue to make this place her home.”

But there also are districts where the process of transitioning to new superintendents has not been as smooth. Differences between the superintendent and board of education soon became evident.

Hillman Community Schools voted 4-3 to not renew the contract of Superintendent Jason McElrath just after his three-year anniversary with the district. The school is now pursuing a possible shared superintendent with Atlanta Community Schools.

But McElrath thought there was more to the picture than just him.

“I am the fourth principal-superintendent in 12 years,” he said. “There has been a lot of turnover and there has to be a reason to why that happens.”

Hillman school board President Juli White said divisions within the school board played a role in the decision.

“We are a divided board and I think there has always been a little division,” White said. “The board decided to go a different direction but he can still apply for the (shared) position.”

In November the Atlanta board of education voted 4-2 to not renew the contract of Superintendent Don Haskin who had been with the district since April, 2012. Before the vote Haskin read through his accomplishments during his tenure.

This included bringing the district out of deficit, increasing enrollment every year, leading the district through multiple lawsuits, passing a $6 million bond and being named the 2016 Region 2 Michigan Association of School Administrators Superintendent of the Year.

“The biggest thing has been the revolving door of boards members and so many board members come in with hidden agendas which really hampers the growth of everybody,” Haskin said. “I think the biggest thing for me is we have board members more concerned about adults than they are the children.”

The large turnover of school boards members and disagreements were not unique to Atlanta as statewide, Oser said it could be viewed as a consequence of legislation enacted in 2011 that changed how school boards members are elected.

The legislation moved school board elections to November of even number years, which means school boards will share the ballot with either the presidential or gubernatorial elections. Additionally, terms were extended from four to six years.

“It has a serious impact on who will seek a term,” Oser said. “Of the 4,000 board seats in Michigan, 1,500 were affected by the November election. Two years ago 1,000 seats were affected.”

On average there are 90 superintendent openings per year in Michigan, Oser said. According to data from MASB roughly one-third of those hired were previous building principals, one-third were central office staff and one-third had previous superintendent experience.

“Michigan does have a longer tenure than the national average,” she said. “But what is important to the research is superintendent’s tenure has a positive correlation to student achievement.”

Oser said the data showed a positive correlation began to present itself around the two year mark.

One district examined showed how the long tenure of the superintendent had a positive impact on student achievement — even against the greatest of odds. Crawford AuSable School District recently was forced to cut $7.5 million from its $15 million budget.

Superintendent Joe Powers, who has been in his position since 2005, said the cuts were deep and difficult but there was something bigger than his position which he kept in mind during the process.

“It is not about one person,” he said. “We are a people business. We want to develop the human brain and human mind and this is not easy. Everyone has to step up and everyone has to act as one.”

Powers said the district is actually the lowest funded school district in the entire state because of its state aid formula. But because of the relationship between him and the board the district, even with its scarce resources, is ranked number three in the state and previously was number one.

“There is no one silver bullet, there are a thousand things you need to pay attention to,” he said.

Tomorrow: The Reasons

News Staff Writers Jordan Spence and Jason Ogden contributed to this story.

When area superintendents started

Alcona Community Schools February 2017

Alpena Public Schools August 2016

Atlanta Community Schools April 2012

Hillman Community Schools October 2013

Onaway Area Community Schools September 2009

Posen Consolidated Schools December 2015

Roger City Area Schools July 2016