Goodrich – The search begins.
The school board is seeking a new superintendent to replace Larry Allen.
Allen, 63, a former superintendent for Mt. Morris Schools, took the post after then superintendent Kim Hart was put on an administrative leave in July 2007. The search to replace Hart continued until a special meeting on Nov. 10, 2007, when the board halted the superintendent search process, which had reached two finalists, Bently Laser, Superintendent, Littlefield Public Schools and Wayne Wright, Superintendent, Birch Run Area Schools.
In December 2007 the board voted 7-0 to hire Allen to the district’s top spot. The contract with Allen will end June 30 and Allen says it’s time to retire.
‘This has been the finest school board I’ve ever worked with,? he said. ‘I look forward to a smooth transition.?
The board will seek the assistance of Carl Hartman from the Michigan Association of School Boards to conducted the screening process for the new superin-tendents.
Allen said his departure is due to a state policy impacting retired superintendents.
State law prevents public school employees, like Allen, from collecting retirement benefits while they’re employed by the schools. Retirees, however, can collect those benefits if they work elsewhere. In the case of Goodrich Schools, Allen was hired through an employment agency’specifically he worked for the employment agency rather than the school district.
Other retired Goodrich School officials including Al Martus and the acting Oaktree Principal, John Hemingway are from employment agencies.
Allen received his bachelor of science, master of arts and educational specialist degree from Central Michigan University. He has a Michigan superintendent’s certification and secondary permanent teaching certification. Additionally, Allen received an honorary doctorate from Davenport University in 2000 and currently serves on the GenNet board of directors.