By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
Otsego Public Schools superintendent Jeff Haase recently announced his plans to retire following the conclusion of the current school year, thereby bringing to an end his 11-year tenure with the district.
And while Haase will remain on the job until June 30, members of the Otsego Board of Education have turned their attention to finding his replacement.
The Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB), a service organization that supports the work of school boards throughout Michigan, is assisting the Board in this process.
As the Board of Education progresses in its search for a new superintendent, its seven members are seeking input from the community and OPS staff to help develop the profile of the ideal candidate.
Residents of the district, school families and all staff are encouraged to participate in the process.
To facilitate the collection of input, the OPS Board of Education has developed an online survey. The survey, which can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/otsegosearch, is currently available and will remain so until Monday, Jan. 27.
Responses from the survey are sent directly to MASB in Lansing for tabulation.
The Board will publicly consider the input received and develop a Candidate Profile. This profile will then be used to guide the process as candidates are recruited and selected for public interview.
Along with taking the survey, OPS officials are encouraging all district stakeholders to meet with the MASB consultant in person at an additional input session. The community and family session is set for Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025 from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. at the Washington Street Elementary Media Center.
That same day, district staff and students will meet with the representative at an earlier time.
The Board of Education will review all input at a special meeting on Jan. 28, at 6:30 p.m. in the Administration Office Board Room.
The remainder of the timeline for the superintendent search is as follows:
● Thursday, March 13: Selection of first-round interview candidates.
● Saturday, March 22: First-round interviews (all interviews are public and attendance is encouraged).
● Tuesday, March 25: Second-round interviews and candidate selection.
● Tuesday, July 1: New superintendent officially begins at Otsego Public Schools Otsego.
