Grosse Pointe School Board Completes 3 of 5 Interviews

The board performed its first interviews Monday in the search for a new superintendent to replace C. Suzanne Klein, who is . 

Public attendance was low during the Monday's round of interviews. A handful of people attended and most were familiar faces to the district. 

Board members rotated turns asking a series of pre-determined questions.

The first candidate to be interviewed came in from Pennsylvania Monday. Paul Long, superintendent for Pennsbury School District, offered a variety of examples during his interview from his current district, including some ways in which he's developed new sources of revenue. He also talked about offering a curriculum to each student that meets their individual needs.

The second candidate interviewed was Richard Machesky, assistant superintendent for Secondary Education in Troy School District. During his interview, he revealed that he lived in Grosse Pointe for seven years and some of his four children began school here. He's served on a superintendent's cabinet--a group of people who focus on the budget, which as of late has been dwindling. Advanced Placements and honors courses, he believes, are something every student should be given the opportunity to take. Machesky also emphasized the importance of being visible to the community.

Monday's final candidate was Michael Jon Dean, who is a Grosse Pointer and the assistant superintendent of human resources in Birmingham Public Schools. Dean repeatedly talked about his own experiences in the district as the parent of two young children attending Ferry Elementary. He also emphasized the importance of developing relationships--the key, he said, to Grosse Pointe Schools and to being a successful administrator. He also talked about his heavy involvement in labor negotiations and the importance of being a visible and accessible superintendent not only to board but also to the parents.  

Each of the candidates had an hour and a half to complete their interview and were given the opportunity to ask the board questions. Each also thanked the board, saying they were honored to be before the members for the interview. 

Board members will conclude their first round of interviews tonight and are expected to make a decision about who to eliminate and who will continue in the process. 

Today's interview schedule:

4:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 21

• Vincent Cotter, superintendent of Colonial School District in Pennsylvania for 11 years. Cotter earned his doctorate of education at Temple University, his master's and his bachelor's at Millersville University. Enrollment in his current district is 5,000 students with a budget of about $96 million. Previously he's worked as a high school and middle school principal as well as an assistant principal.

6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 21

• Thomas Harwood, assistant superintendent for human resources in Grosse Pointe Schools for four years. He will earn his doctorate in education from Eastern Michigan University in the fall. He also earned his specialist in arts degree at EMU, his master's in clinical psychology and his bachelor's in psychology/sociology from Western Michigan University. He's previously worked as a director of special services, superintendent and elementary principal. Harwood lives in Rochester.

Following today's interviews, the board will hold its with those chosen to advance July 11 and 12. The goal is to have a candidate with whom the district will .