School Board Extends Offer to Roger Schrock
By Leslie Rott

Mackinac Island Board of Education voted Sunday, July 2 to extend an offer for superintendent of Mackinac Island Public School to Dr. Roger Schrock of Three Rivers, pending salary negotiations and further reference checks. Pictured are (from left) School Board Vice President Paul Wandrie, School Board Treasurer Sara Chambers, Trustee Jason St. Onge, School Board Secretary Trish Martin, Dr. Roger Schrock, Trustee Larry Rickley, Trustee Leanne Brodeur, and School Board President Ben Mosley.

Pending contract and salary negotiations, the Mackinac Island Board of Education has agreed to hire Dr. Roger Schrock of Three Rivers as the new superintendent of schools on Mackinac Island. The decision came at a special meeting Sunday, July 2, at which Dr. Schrock was invited to answer questions and meet members of the community.

He was interviewed with three other candidates in midJune and was among 37 applicants to replace Jack Dehring, who retired July 1.

At the beginning of the school board meeting last Sunday, President Ben Mosley told Dr. Schrock, "As you have figured out by now, the board is very interested in your candidacy."

Educated at Western Michigan University, Dr. Schrock was deputy superintendent for instructional services and technology at Eaton Rapids Public Schools from 1999 to 2003, and, before that, principal at Mendon High School, East Jackson High School, and White Pigeon High School. He has also held posts in state and university teacher development and community education.

Trustees asked Dr. Schrock to speak of his experience as a principal, since much of his job as chief administrator here will involve duties as the principal, too. He said that being a high school principal was one of the most enjoyable jobs he has had and that his strengths as a principal are his love for people and his hope that people do the best that they are capable of doing.

"I am a teacher at heart," he told them. "Consequently, I have great empathy for what teachers do."

As a principal, he said that he learned the process of working with both teachers and students, patience, and collaborative decision making.

In terms of the disciplining of students, he said, "Children are not going to disrupt the education process... My motto is be fair."

Dr. Schrock said that he likes to look at the goals and objectives of teachers at the beginning of the year and plan opportunities for professional development around them.

He hopes to be in the classroom on a daily basis.

"If I live to be 103, I want to be taking classes and teaching classes," he said.

New teachers coming into the school, he said, should be committed to the Island, plan to teach at the school for a substantial length of time, and have a strong desire to be in a small district.

In response to a question from the audience, he said all three schools at which he served as principal received North Central Association (NCA) accreditation and that he hopes that, under his direction, Mackinac Island will be able to, also.

In response to other questions, he said he would allow teachers to go off the Island for professional development and would want police, fire, and ambulance personnel to be visible and to know they are welcome in the school.

All of the trustees voted to extend an offer to Dr. Schrock, pending negotiations and additional reference checks. And

while Dr. Schrock said he would be able to come to the Island in a few weeks, the board did not set a definite hiring date.

Trustees plan to hold a special meeting in the next several weeks to complete the hiring process.