Birmingham Administrator to Interview for Grosse Pointe Superintendent Position

Birmingham’s assistant superintendent for human resources, Jon Dean, interviews tonight for the superintendent position with Grosse Pointe Public Schools.

Formal interviews for three of the five superintendent candidates begin at 4:30 p.m. today in Grosse Pointe South’s auditorium.

The interviews conducted this week will allow the Grosse Pointe School Board to eliminate candidates from the pool. Two or three selected for a second interview will do so July 11-12 — a daylong interview during which the candidates receive a tour of the district, interact with board members and participate in a public reception at one of the schools.

The board hopes to , according to the district's search schedule. 

The district is searching for a new superintendent to replace its longest serving employee in the role, C. Suzanne Klein.  in December and she'll have been in the position for 15 years when she retires.

Dean has been with for three and a half years. He is set to earn his doctorate in education from Wayne State University in December. Before that, he earned his education specialist degree from Saginaw Valley University, as well as a bachelors and masters degree from Wayne State. Dean lives in Grosse Pointe and has previously served as a principal.

In April, Dean . He was there but ultimately lost out to Shawn Lewis-Lakin, superintendent of the Manchester Community School District.

Also interviewing for the Grosse Pointe position are:

• Paul Long, superintendent for Pennsbury School District in Pennsylvania for five years.  Long is also a naval officer.
• Richard Machesky, assistant superintendent for secondary education in Troy School District for four years. Machesky has also been a director of secondary education, prinicipal and associate principal.
• Vincent Cotter, Superintendent of Colonial School District in Pennsylvania for 11 years. Previously, Cotter has worked as a high school and middle school principal.
• Thomas Harwood, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources in Grosse Pointe Schools for four years. Harwood has worked as a director of special services, superintendent and elementary principal.

Dean, Long and Mchesky are set to interview today, with Dean’s interview at 8:30 p.m. Cotter and Harwood will interview Tuesday.