Berkley Board of Education President Looks to the Future

As the school year winds down – with prom already past and graduation on the horizon – so, too, does the tenure of Board of Education President Marc Katz, who announced this spring that he will not seek re-election in December.

The longtime board member's planned departure comes at a tricky time, as teacher layoffs and other cuts are being contemplated. But Katz has no plans to leave the district in a lurch.

"There's a lot of work to be done," he said. "I'll be working as hard or harder than I have the past 21 years to make sure I leave the district in good shape."

'We'll have big shoes to fill'

That comes as no surprise, considering Katz's dedication through the years.

Superintendent Michael Simeck, for example, had no trouble listing the president's accomplishments, including:

• Serving on National School Board Association committees and as the Oakland County School Board legislative chair.
• Saving the district millions of dollars by using $2.1 million – won in a lawsuit versus the state of Michigan over unfunded mandates – as an internal bank, which allowed the BSD to avoid borrowing and thereby avoid racking up fees and interest, Simeck wrote in an email to Berkley Patch.
• Simeck added that Katz has been a key advocate for full funding of federally mandated special education services, which resulted in a 10 percent uptick in funding during his 21 years on the board, again saving the district millions of dollars.
• "Beyond those contributions has been his wisdom as a board member and president," Simeck wrote. "Mr. Katz has mentored many new board members, and the Berkley School District enjoys one of the highest-functioning school boards in the state, a board repeatedly recognized as an 'Honor Board' by the School Board Association."

Board of Education Vice President Paul Ellison also acknowledged Katz's leadership throughout the years.

"He has really been a tremendous mentor for myself and other members of the board," Ellison said. "... He's been an outstanding advocate in Lansing and Washington, DC. You mentioned his name, and it carried more weight."

Luckily, Ellison said, for the past few years, Katz has been taking other board members with him to Washington to show them the ropes so there will be a smooth transition.

But, Ellison said, some of the president's most important contributions are closer to home, where Katz is a tireless supporter of student events. 

That's a sentiment echoed by Simeck.

"At board meetings, committee meetings, conferences, graduations, DECA (business club) competitions, athletic contests, plays and band concerts, (Katz) has given the greatest gift — the gift of time," Simeck said.

"I wouldn't be so presumptuous to say who could step in to fill that position," Ellison said. "We'll have big shoes to fill."

Katz cited wholly different accomplishments as being among those of which he's most proud, including:

• Expansion of the (CASA) program in Oak Park.
• The Berkley School District's participation in the International Academy in Bloomfield Hills.
• More higher-level course offerings.
• Ongoing employee collaboration.

"We've got great employees and teachers," Katz said. "We'll find a way to stay a premier district in the state of Michigan."

That said, Katz is ready to step aside and give someone else the opportunity to lead: "I've always said being on the board is not a lifetime job."

Work on behalf of students not finished

So what's next for Katz after December rolls around?

For starters, he'll continue his career with Kaplan Professional Education, where — as of Sept. 26 — he'll have worked for 28 years.

"I was never one of those people who looks for greener pastures," Katz said. "Part of it is I just love what I do."

Katz, who calls himself "a teacher in a different sense of the word," conducts seminars for stockbrokers and insurance industry professionals. He has traveled to all 50 states, Germany and Canada as part of his job.

He'll also chair the Governance Committee that handles bylaws and policies for the Optimist Club in Michigan, which has 3,400 members here.

"It's nice for me, having done policy for years on the (school) board," Katz said.

While that would be a full plate for many, Katz also has a new challenge on his mind. He may pursue an opening on the Intermediate School District board as of July 2012.

But that's down the road, Katz said, not wanting to get ahead of himself.

"I'm not going anywhere," he said. "I'll be around."