Jackson Public Schools is looking for a new superintendent.
Superintendent Jeff Beal announced his intention to step down last month. His resignation, effective June 30, was approved by the school board Tuesday.
Assistant Superintendent Kriss Giannetti says the Michigan Association of School Boards will assist the Jackson district with its search for Beal’s replacement.
“The board will move forward with the help of MASB to post the job internally, and then set up some community engagement opportunities for the community to let us know what they are looking for in a new superintendent," Giannetti said.
Giannetti hopes to begin interviewing candidates for the superintendent post in mid-April.
“We’d hope to have someone before he leaves,” Giannetti said. “That would be our goal, obviously to get someone in there. But, you know, at this point, we’ll do interviews April 15, and hopefully before he leaves, we’ll have somebody in here by June 1.”
Beal’s resignation comes after the announcement of an approximately $4 million budget shortfall that could force the district to cut teaching positions.
In an interview with WKAR, Beal said he's leaving because it's time for him to retire. He says the deficit had nothing to do with the timing of his departure.
"We knew we were going to overspend this year," said Beal. " That was the plan when we entered into the year. The right sizing of the budget today is really more about making certain that we don't overspend into the future."
Beal said as superintendent, he was able to strengthen the district's finances.
"When I arrived, we had a fund balance that was down, you know, about $2.4 million," Beal said. "Today it's about $20 million. So, we feel, you know, again, like I said, very confident that that nest egg is something that'll put this district on a strong financial footing for years to come."
Looking back at his nearly 11 years as superintendent, Beal says he's proud of the contract negotiations he's been part of, as well as construction projects and bond issues that took place while he held the post. He is also pleased with an early college program he helped start.
"I think that that's going to change lives for our students and our parents, for students to be able to participate," Beal said. "There are about 1,000 kids Jackson County-wide right now that are participating in early college."
Produced with assistance from the Public Media Journalists Association Editor Corps funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.