By Shelby Stewart
Staff Writer
On Dec. 6, the Brandon Board of Education received the resignation of interim superintendent Dr. Karl Heidrich. In a message to the community, the board of education said he plans to retire on Jan. 1.
“To ensure continued leadership within, and operations of, the school district, the board of education has acted swiftly to appoint Dan Stevens as the acting superintendent during this time until determinations are made for establishing an interim/permanent superintendent and Mr. Stevens graciously accepted this role,” they said in the statement. “Mr. Stevens has been a leader in our district as our high school principal for many years and has significant knowledge of the school district.”
The district has been working with a superintendent search firm for over a year following the resignation of Dr. Matt Outlaw last October.

The district is working with Michigan Leadership Institute.
“I think it’s difficult times for one, they’re very challenging times with COVID, and it’s really divided communities, it’s been a really difficult time for superintendents and all educators,” said John Silveri, regional president for southeast Michigan at MLI. “In light of the recent tragedy in Oxford it makes it even harder. People who are going into being a superintendent are giving it serious consideration if they want to take on that responsibility. And many people who have wanted to take on that role by going to a new district or changing districts have very recently done so.”
For the time being, Stevens will be the acting superintendent. Stevens, who has been with the district since 2013 earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education and health, with a minor in history from Central Michigan University. He also holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from Saginaw Valley State University, as well as education specialist in leadership with an emphasis in curriculum from SVSU. He served as assistant principal at Romeo High School from 1999-2007 Stevens and taught social studies in the Clarkston School District. His first teaching position was in the Morley-Stanwood School District near Grand Rapids, in the two years preceding Clarkston.
“This is 100 percent a challenging time for schools in general, let alone to be in administration,” said Stevens. “The biggest thing that I said to them was I’ve been in the Brandon school district for 9 years, that’s usually a lifetime for administration. And I told them the reason I’m still here is I love the Brandon School District, I love the community, I love the staff, and I love the kids. If I can do something for the district that’s been so good to me, I want to help them in any way that I can. I’m more than willing to be in this position as long as they need me.”
Stevens said the administrative and central office team are part of the reason he accepted the position.
“I’ll give this job 150 percent of everything that I have,” he said. “It’s not just me, though. The central office team and the administrative team is great district wide, this is a team effort.”