Gerlach ready to lead Stevens Point schools
Just a few days from being chosen to take the helm as the new Stevens Point Area Public School District superintendent, Craig Gerlach already is preparing for his post here.
At a special meeting Monday, April 4, the School Board unanimously voted to extend a two-year contract offer to Gerlach, who currently serves as superintendent of Jefferson School District. The decision comes after nearly two years of searching and interviews.
“We are very excited to have Mr. Gerlach joining us in July as the superintendent for our District,” the School Board and administration said in a joint statement. “We are looking forward to July and continuing to move the district forward on behalf of our students, staff and community.”
Gerlach has accepted the terms and signed the contract.
Gerlach will receive a $165,000 salary and benefits include 25 paid vacation days annually, 16 paid sick leave days annually, 10 paid holidays per year, $400 per month to cover meal expenses and the use of his personal vehicle for work purposes. Other items in the contract include the board will pay up to $5,000 for moving expenses and premiums for dental, health and life insurance.
Since the vote, Gerlach has been busy, continuing in his superintendent post in Jefferson School District while preparing to move to Stevens Point, he said. He will be in close contact with interim Superintendent Lee Bush in the coming weeks prior to his arriving in order “to ensure a smooth transition,” Gerlach said.
“It is an honor to be selected to serve the Stevens Point community as superintendent of schools,” he said. “The Stevens Point Area Public School District has an excellent staff, and I am looking forward to working with them.”
Gerlach will begin his duties in late June, when Bush will step down. Bush was selected as interim superintendent last year after the School Board declined to hire either of the last two finalists following a several-month search, interviews and community meet-and-greets.
This time around, Gerlach was chosen over Larry Ouimette, superintendent of Lac du Flambeau School District. The candidates conducted meet-and-greet events with the public on Tuesday, March 29, after which those in attendance were able to provide feedback to district personnel.
Although Gerlach showed he had researched the district and had some knowledge of its position and operations in the way he responded to questions, he said in an interview that he will continue gaining as much information as he can.
“I have created an entry plan that will involve meeting with many district and community stakeholders,” Gerlach said. “Gaining knowledge about the school district and community from the people that live and work within the Stevens Point Area Public School District is critical to guiding my transition into this position.”
Board President Meg Erler has already started conversations with Gerlach related to a timeline for establishing board and superintendent goals, and strategic goals for the district once Gerlach has begun his duties. With the election, new board members will have a few months to acclimate to the district, and they will also have a voice in the objectives and goals developed, district officials said.
During the community meet-and-greets, Gerlach spoke briefly to his approach in leading the district.
“Stevens Point School District is … doing well academically so it’s continuing to do what you’re doing,” he told those in attendance. “(This is) a great opportunity to work with the board and bring a community together.”
Since then, Gerlach refined what he will do when he gets here.
“First and foremost, I will begin building a strong working relationship with the Board of Education,” he said in a separate interview without elaborating on how. “A positive, healthy board and superintendent relationship has a direct and positive impact on the staff, community, and the context for student learning.”
One concern posed during the meet-and-greet feedback was the potential for Gerlach to bounce in and then out of the district within a few years, based on his time at the helm in previous positions. Community members said they wanted School Board members to consider longevity in their decision.
During the meet-and-greet, Gerlach had indicated his positional movement has been in an effort to get back into this area and specifically to this position. In a separate interview, Gerlach said this will be the last move he makes.
“My intentions are to serve the community of Stevens Point and retire as a Panther,” he said.
Prior to the three years in his current position, Gerlach was superintendent of the Monona Grove School District for five years, the Galesville-Ettrick-Trempealeau School District for six years, and the Port Edwards School District for three years.
Gerlach was also a middle school and high school principal, and holds an educational specialist degree from Edgewood College in educational leadership.