- Bill DeFrance has decided to step down as superintendent of Eaton Rapids public schools after 21 years
- I had a chance to sit down with him to find out why now was the right time
- Watch the video above to see what community members are doing to find the next superintendent
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Bill DeFrance has decided to step down as superintendent of Eaton Rapids public schools after 21 years. I had a chance to sit down with him to find out why now was the right time.
Bill DeFrance says he wants to travel more but most importantly spend time with his family.
"I have grand kids and a wife who is recently retired from Grand Valley State university. Their is a lot of places I would like to go," Bill De'France said.
While Bill is ready to enjoy retirement and be in the sunset, he has helped start the process of finding his replacement with the staff at Eaton Rapids public schools.
"I work with the board and brought in two different search firms for them to interview,"
One of those firms is Michigan Leadership Institute, which led the Thursday focus group with school staff and community members and began the process of the search for the next superintendent by having each person fill out three questions.
"What are the points of pride for your community? what are the obstacles a new superintendent may have to navigate? and what characteristics are u looking for in that new superintendent?,"Education Consultant Tom Tenbrink said.
Education Consultant Tom Tenbrink tells me everyone had great responses to those three questions, and he believes this is a step in the right direction. However, he also knows there are roadblocks as well.
"There are some obstacles people are going to have to look at, one it's a declining enrollment right now,
"To bring some new leadership here, but we're gonna do our very best to search far and wide to bring the right candidates in for their consideration,"
Tenbrink tells me the focus group meeting was a success and vital that community members voiced their ideas on who they would like to be the next superintendent.
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