Schools

Search for Grosse Pointe North Principal Begins

Grosse Pointe Public School officials have begun their search to replace outgoing North High School principal Tim Bearden. They hope to have a candidate to recommend to the school board by late July.

In searching for a replacement for Principal Tim Bearden, who is , the quality of candidate is more important than the deadline officials have outlined for themselves, district spokeswoman Rebecca Fannon said.

Bearden accepted a position with Detroit Country Day School and will begin there July 1--the day after his contract with Grosse Pointe expires.

District officials will host a community forum Wednesday, June 20 at 7 p.m. to hear from the community about what skills they would like to see in a new principal. Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Jon Dean will be there to answer questions and facilitate the conversation.

Find out what's happening in Grosse Pointewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A letter was sent last week to Grosse Pointe North stakeholders inviting them to the community forum and the position has been posted on the district's website as well as on several other educational forums.

The closing date is July 10 but the posting also states the district will continue to receive applications until a suitable candidate is found. Patch is awaiting information about the number of applicants who have submitted resumes thus far.

Find out what's happening in Grosse Pointewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Dean is also looking for people who want to help during the interview process of the candidates, and encouraged those interested to contact him via email.

In addition, the district will be posting a community/staff survey online today and will leave it open through June 29 to allow community participation and feedback about what skills and traits everyone wants in the new principal.

The timeline shows that district officials will begin screening interviews in mid-July with full committee interviews only a few days later and then interviews with Superintendent Tom Harwood and Dean about a week later.

An open house for the community will be scheduled if appropriate and then recommendations to the school board will follow, according to the timeline.

Grosse Pointe North High School had a shift in its administration last year after two of the assistant principals accepted new positions elsewhere--one was Matt Outlaw, who is now the principal of Grosse Pointe South.

The newer members of North's administration, including Kate Murray and Ben Bandfield, are strong leaders in their positions, Bearden told Patch. He is leaving the school at a time when the support administration is in a good position to help ease the transition between himself and whomever is selected as the new principal, he said last week.

The search district officials must complete this summer to fill administrative vacancies includes not only the North principal position but also . Interviews for those positions have already begun and will replace and Lee Warras.


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