By Sterling McGinn
The Tahquamenon Area Schools (TAS) board of education has narrowed their superintendent search to two candidates: John Herbert and Shawn Tebo.
Candidates Tebo, Herbert were joined by Newberry’s current 7-12 grade Principal Trevor Clark for a series of public board interviews on Monday, May 5. About 14 people, a blend of community members and TAS staff, attended.
The board interviewed their three semi-finalists before choosing to move forward with Herbert and Tebo. A second-round of interviews is scheduled for 5 and 6 p.m. on Monday, May 12.
Current Superintendent Stacy Price is retiring at the end of June.
To assist in the search for a new superintendent, the board hired the Michigan Leadership Institute (MLI), which has consulted with the district in the past.
Dr. John Scholten, Northern Michigan regional president of MLI, is assigned to TAS. His firm screened the nine candidates that applied for the position and prepared a list for preliminary interviews.
One candidate withdrew their application prior to the board’s April 28 meeting. At that meeting, the board reviewed the eight remaining applications in a closed session before voting to interview Clark, Herbert, and Tebo. The candidates who were not selected for a first interview were not named.
All interviews, discussions and decisions are held in an open session.
“The interviews are held in the public, but it’s not a public interview,” said Dr. Scholten. “There are two opportunities for the public to provide input and comment.”
The audience was given the opportunity to fill out comment forms, which were shared with the board that night.
Shawn Tebo was the first candidate interviewed on May 5.
Tebo has lived in Hillman, Michigan for most of her educational career, where she spent 12 years at Hillman Schools where she served as elementary principal and eventually as superintendent.
Tebo also worked for three years at a school in Florida before returning to Michigan. She is currently working in Reed City, where she has been a third-grade teacher at G. T. Norman Elementary School.
She is familiar with the area, she said, and has often visited Hulbert Lake.
She told the board that she feels a superintendent needs to be a visible leader with an open-door policy with the staff, students, community and board.
“The best way to build relationships is to be part of your community,” Tebo said.
When asked about financial management, budget development, and budget cuts, Tebo shared her struggles when facing a deficit budget at Hillman.
In 2013, while Tebo was superintendent, Hillman was forced to cut everything but teaching staff, she said. “I was able to continue with a 15 percent budget after that.”
Tebo said she has experience in grant writing and fundraisers, which she used to build a playground at a previous job.
John Herbert was the second individual interviewed by the board.
Herbert originally worked for 15 years as an auto mechanic and served as a sergeant in the Michigan National Guard.
Following that, he took a job as an automotive paraprofessional at a tech center, which ultimately began his career in education. He then became a vocational teacher.
He is currently a principal at Lenawee Christian School in Adrian, Michigan and is a 1996 Bronson High School graduate. He served as a principal at Bronson Community Schools and was an assistant principal at Menominee Area Public Schools in Menominee, Michigan.
Herbert said he has worked in district of similar size and likes working in smaller schools.
“I like to connect with kids, I like to connect with the teachers, families and the community,” Herbert said. “I am active in going to all the games and concerts.”
If hired at TAS, Herbert said he’d build relationships with stakeholders and wants to be out in the community and be available for students, staff, and the community.
The third candidate interviewed was Trevor Clark, currently the Newberry High School 7-12 grade principal. Prior to being hired at TAS, Clark served as the director of student affairs at Marlette Community Schools and was a music teacher, test coordinator, and athletic director in Chassell, Michigan.
Clark and his family live in Newberry. He said he wants to continue to see the students and the town grow.
“I want to bring kids back to our school and do what we can to promote opportunities and academic excellence with our students,” said Clark.
Clark said he is not afraid to be seen out in the community and he welcomes phone calls and communication from the community.
He would also like to seek more grant opportunities for the district.
Though the board expressed positive feedback of Clark work as principal, board members felt that he did not have enough experience to take on the position as superintendent.
The second-round interviews on May 12 will be open to the public. The interviews start at 5 p.m. in what was formerly the elementary library.
Guests can use the main entrance and follow signs to the meeting room.
