001Good evening everyone. It is six o'clock. This is a meeting of the board of education in public for the purpose of conducting a school district business and it's not to be considered a public community meeting. There is time for public participation during the meeting as indicated in the agenda below. And upon request to the superintendent, the district shall make reasonable accommodation for a person with disabilities to be able to participate in this meeting. Before we get started, I have a statement I want to make. We have heard from three amazing individuals throughout this process, and I know that they are all going to have a meaningful impact on students and the education in their communities. I'm not sure I highlighted this until Jennifer noted it last night, but none of our candidates received any of
002our interview questions in advance. The candidates we've been thinking about since last night each answered 36 questions over the course of two and a half hours while thinking on their feet, and we took great care to ask questions that were meaningful. I personally have been comparing these individuals not only to each other, but to many fir other first and second round candidate interviews that I've watched from superintendent searches in district hours across the state. Not only have these educators been interviewing with us for the superintendent position over the last two weeks, but they have essentially been interviewing with the entire DCS community throughout their years in service here. The board holds all of our candidates in great esteem. And for this reason, I'm going to ask a favor of our guests tonight. It is the
003board's desire to contact our candidates by phone following this meeting to personally let them know the results of our discussion. I urge all of our guests to refrain from sending text messages to people who are not here and most especially not who the candidates themselves. I would also ask that you please refrain from posting any decisions to social media until you receive an update from the district. The board does intend to send search update announcement as soon as we are able, but it will be done after we have reached the candidates personally. Thank you for your help in allowing us to communicate respectfully and thoughtfold. Melanie, can you do the role? Mr. Albre >> here. >> Mr. Arnold, Mrs. Burley here. Mr. Sapola >> here. >> Miss Kangas >> here. Mrs. Riser >> here. Miss
004Aera here. Miss Bento >> here. Mr. Brand. >> Okay, we have an agenda to approve. I'll move that the board of ed approve the agenda as presented. I'll second the motion. >> We have a motion and a second. All those in favor of approving the agenda say I. I. >> Any opposed? >> We now have a period of time for public participation. And please note for efficiency policy 254 has been suspended for this meeting and there will only be one opportunity for public participation. Would anyone like to address the board? Sure. >> Good comment. Uh I feel a little bit let down by the board to the fact that this was an internal process the whole uh I've heard many comments from the board and candidates at South Dexter is a destination location. Everybody wants
005to come to Dun. So why not open it up to everybody? I mean, you tell me if I'm a superintendent sitting out there in the sidelines or in another school and I look at death just 250 million bond issue. Wow. I'm excited. I can come here. I put finances in place. I can do it. We have no idea we could attract from other parts of the country just not staying. So I think the let down as you want to refer to them as the community stakeholders you know because as we realize the biggest stakeholders of this whole process are students that's particular person but not open to about to search I'll call it I feel very let down because I feel we could have gotten past Davidson down we about this one. So, >> thank
006you very much. >> Anyone else? >> Okay, moving on to discussion. Um, John reviewed with us last night our responsibility tonight, which is to all uh comment on who we would either like to select or to choose to continue to search. Um at this point in time we are all being asked to select a single candidate. You can um offer as much or as little um information about why as you wish. Um I think at this point a lot of our thinking is in bigger packages on the entirety of the information we have. So um let's just get started. Um would anyone like to volunteer to go first? Oh >> can you make sure the mic is on? Um first I want to thank again all the candidates for these interview process Ryan Melon interviews
007um and also the hard keeping SI in place in Michigan it's actually it's a very very limited span of I also want to think that >> can we pull the can we pull it even closer to make sure the DE community for attending attending and all the input. We read close to 30 community sheets just last night alone from the second round of moving all the comments. These are all written in a professional I say nice way whether or disagree with the candidate. Uh there was there was nothing um nothing leans here which which I truly appreciate. Uh so at the end of the day we have I think they're two great candidates with some similar also some different strengths and areas u and he's built on all areas to coupon. So so I'm not
008going to p anybody but right to Ryan winner as my recognition as the start I think is presition. [Music] Uh I like Ryan has already taken some leadership roles across various levels and administrative team. I've been a difficult sex education advisory board which has long firsthand group community members that will not agree on all things but state the job is still public and mature. uh his work with the bonding facilities committee called his experience in addition to new addition command over the next several years first three to five years are probably I believe improvements while keeping the students at the center I like to focus on using CS and the DCS principal to work together you know positive I also like when you answer the question regarding the less promised sports and clubs that you
009already had some ideas and said and whether we build studio or not like that imagination leads the future to build build us so we're not stuck building you know something else it's only going to serve you need for future um I appreciate that place on gal decision making to see trends final versus appreciate the fact that some teacher may feel a loss autonomy in the science and reading program but that same CDC recognized it and what the metrics show both on hiring students which again is the focus of superintendent also appreciate the understanding of will be difficult does not know it all need to learnise and overall I appreciate his communication style fact that you think the board of education your email through each round I think it's a positive note when we move forward
010and communicate the entire ECS district community students and board of education he does well do well turn aside while civility >> thanks anyone like go next >> I'll go keep it on >> all right good evening everyone like to thank everyone for joining us Tonight, selecting a superintendent is one of the most critical responsibilities of the board of education. We know and we're all committed to identifying the right leader for Dexter Community Schools. And we recognize this process is multiaceted. It requires strategic planning, thorough evaluation, and a strong dedication to finding a leader who aligns with our district values and has the vision to guide our school system towards achieving its goals. We are as a board determined to make this process a success. I would like to recommend Ryan Rutder as my choice with
011Dexter's name superintendent. Ryan is a dedicated district leader who is deeply rooted in the local community. Having grown up at Dexter and graduated from Dexter City Schools, Dexter has shaped them in significant ways to be the leader he is today. Speaking to Ryan's character, Ryan possesses unique qualities that make him exceptionally well suited for the role of superintendent. He maintains a student centered leadership approach which is evident in every interaction you have with him. The growth and well-being of students are always his top priority. He is humble, kind, and demonstrates empathy. I believe Ryan is Ryan has skills that recognize how policy and decision-m impact various groups including students, staff, and community members. He has the emotional intelligence to listen to and validate the concerns of each group and he will create solutions that will
012lead to positive outcomes for everyone in our district. Conversely, I believe Ryan possesses the ability to face difficult decisions headon and evaluate issues objectively and with neutrality. In my experience with with Ryan, he's often forced to credit others, which is what good leaders do. He's also willing to take responsibility and be decisive though necessary. That's what great leaders do. Speaking to Ryan's experience, Ryan brings a wealth of experience to the role. He served as executive director of instruction for the past four years and spent five years as a principal where he demonstrated impactful leadership at the administrative level. Additionally, Ryan has seven years of classroom experiences. So, he's been in the trenches throughout his career. has consistently shown the commitment to student welfare and educational leadership. Most importantly, he believes in educating the whole child
013and valuing individual needs without sacrificing the collective good. He's well suited to take the torch from Dr. Timus and continue to move the district forward. Speaking about financial management for a second, school finance must always be a consideration when making decisions. I believe Ryan understands this concept well as a key district grant writer. E recognizes the importance of funding and education and how to maximize the impact of each dollar spent. Our 2025 bond projects along with their associated workbook will represent a significant responsibility. I'm confident Orion possesses the organizational and communication skills necessary to manage these demands effectively. Building relationships. I recognize that he's recognized for his collaborative approach with building relationships, emphasizing leadership that value the input of all stakeholders. Humorously referring to himself as a better coach than player, he underscores the importance
014of listening to others and building teams. He understands the achieving that achieving consensus is essential to make long-term impact in the district. He strongly supports parental rights but also acknowledges the responsibility that comes in public education emphasizing the need for transparency communication regarding decision making. Additionally, Ryan advocates for the responsibility the responsible use of technology in education. He's played a key role in development of DE the AI tool designed for students and teachers in Dexter which showcases his ability to innovate in the field of education. his willingness to adapt to new concepts and create new opportunities along with his attention to the needs of the district. These are all qualities that I found very important. I want to conclude by emphasizing how fortunate Dexter is to have leaders like Ryan Ritter in our district. His
015character and authenticity are rare in today's society. He's a strong and respected educator with extensive knowledge and a deep commitment to Dexter Community Schools. Given these fundamental attributes developed right here in Dexter, I believe Mr. Bruter will make an exceptional superintendent. >> Thank you, Mike. So echoing the thoughts that we are so fortunate to have internal candidates this strong and it really did make it makes our decision tough one. Um but again we asked for this responsibility so here we are. Um, after such strong first and second interviews, I had to reflect on going back to the candidate profile and both Ryan and Melanie had they hit almost every single one of the 14 factors that we we selected. Um, you know, and one of the things that emerged is both of them are were
016very student centered. Both of them were said that they wanted this job to impact the district in a different way. They're both invested personally in the district which speaks volumes to us wanting stability for this district as we move forward. Um and both seem to be very team reliant in a lot of their responses. Um so after hitting all the categories and having to step set back and say you know having similar touch points where does somebody emerge a little stronger than the other and that's where I found that um I I believe that Ryan had a little stronger of a profile. Um, one of the things that I thought was exemplified last night, and this is why I would I will urge the board to select him as the superintendent was his strong knowledge
017of the analytics. Um, his example of using data for an effective and in costsaving decision really was really what the board is looking for. Being very mindful and looking at the information that's in front of us, the data and the that comes to us to make an informed decision and save money for the district. that was that was very helpful. I also believe that he has a a deeper understanding of the superintendent role at this juncture. Um, frankly, his mention of the policy I know that I'm the chair of the policy committee, but it it is so intricral in decision-m and that the handbook um going having to be red beone as a result of the policy overload that we're doing. It just showed that he has a very deep understanding of this role and
018in this community. Um, and then I would echo what what both Dan and Mike said as well. So, for that reason, I would my selection would be Ryan Brutder that both of the candidates feel just simply amazing and we're so fortunate to have them in the district. >> Thank you. said to them, >> I would echo um what the other trustees said that we had excellent candidates. When I was elected to the school board, I uh I knew Ryan Ber. He wasn't my children's principal, but I knew him because he was um in the other elementary school. When we first moved here, we went through the building of Beacon and Anchor. And so I did get to see him at work and then meeting Barb Leonard. She was amazing, like a an amazing HR director.
019And my son spent his first year in high school. And I think that Miss Noak is like the bomb at the high school, right? she ran this amazing program uh to get these kids acclimated to what what kind of career they want to go into. So I think that speaks to volumes and I hope that to the question in the audience tonight and to others listening you know why um we wanted to look at internal candidates first because we have such solid internal and candidates here um that that we had an obligation a a a financial obligation to to to this community to look at those those candidates first um before even considering um a national search that probably would have cost a lot of money. And so I think that all three of these
020candidates were very very strong. Um we watched a first round of interview and then a second round of interviews and when I listened to the interviews yesterday, I sort of thought like you're having someone you want to lead this district and you want whole students coming from the the district. You want not to just help the students that are athletes or that are musically inclined or or really really smart. You want to service every single student in this district. You want them to come to feel school. You want them to feel safe. You want them to be educated. You want them to become productive citizens. And when I listened to Ryan Brutder's um presentation yesterday and and the letters of recommendation that came in and the feedback from the audience like to me he is
021the person that I see carrying that um educate develop inspire that I see him leading our district as the next superintendent. He has the academic um program knowledge as the um role that he holds right now. Um he was very knowledgeable in the budget. He recognized that one thing that we have to tackle as a community and a school is cell phone usage. I mean it is changing and it is a it is doing everything to our kids like in in every realm that you could think of. Mental health, um the way that they communicate, the way that they write. So, I really appreciated him recognizing that and wanting to reach out to the community to say, "How are we going to address this and and implement it and and address it with our students
022because I I think a lot of people don't realize how um how sort of addicted kids are becoming to electronics." So for me, someone that recognizes that um and is ready to address that and he also was important to me that I don't know it all and he knows that he can lean on other leaders in this district to make those decisions and he'll ask those questions. So for me, um I think that was amazing and and I think that both candidates were amazing, but I would be moving to hire Mr. as our superintendent. >> I can go first. >> Will we have to? Yes. >> But after there's four time deal. >> So >> still want to hear. >> Yeah. >> I will um I did not prepare the long presentation as some of
023my esteemed colleagues did. However, um I am first of all very honored to have participated in this per in this process. Um obviously the the only employee that we manage as a board is the superintendent. It's it's it's super important. It's it's it's vital that we choose a candidate that is qualified, that we feel com confident to lead the district, that um that has experience and that we've done what we can in order to uh vet the field. >> Um so to the comment about not opening this up, we have heard that from some members of the community. Um the first rule of thumb in general in in any organization is start internally. If there's somebody that that um qualifies, start there. I mean the the experience within the organization cannot be understated. That is
024it's really important and that there's a huge value to having somebody that knows the system that knows us that we know and as Elise um very thoughtfully said they've been you know interviewing with us for years. So that it's not that we're first meeting them. Um in addition, we have gone through trainings. There are many many positions open throughout the state. Um and there are a few candidates that really qualify for a lot of these positions. And so we are confident in in the advice that we've received and in the classes that we um pursued in terms of why we uh started internally. That said, we did not have to um hire any of any of the candidates. And I echo um what Trusty Riser said that all three candidates are amazing and that I
025was very impressed with with the quality of the candidates and surprised to be honest um because we knew well I had assumed that Ryan would would apply. I did not know who else would apply and so it was nice to have some selection um of such good candidates. Uh I will I I I want to um support Ryan. I will say that I really did like Melanie's presentation. I like the way she's very concise. I think that she is clear. Um I like the the the presentation in terms of the supporting documents. Um many of the qualities were the same in terms of um between between you know student centered. I think that they're both very student centered. Um they both just I just think that we would be lucky to have either candidate. I
026um I wholeheartedly support Ryan Brutder as our next superintendent. Um and I don't want to lose. So yes. Thank you. >> Mayor, do you want to say anything? you are not obligated to, but we're happy to read your comments if you have some. >> I can say it. >> Absolutely. >> Um, coming from a student, I would also like to support Ryan. I think again he was very student centered but um what I especially thought was important is he noted a lot of very specific things that he wanted to um do with students and really help the students become more involved in the decisions that are forming their education. And I like that he kind of highlighted the gaps that this district has and some of the gaps in learning that we currently have and
027how he really does want to fix those gaps so that when I enter the workforce and all my fellow students enter the workforce, we do have the skill sets that we truly need. and Kim kind of um focusing on those very specific things he might want to change and integrate for students was very important for me and I think very important for a lot of students who are scared to kind of enter the real world and seeing a superintendent who has a very clear vision for these students and understands that every student is different. every student has a different learning pace and kind of understanding how to really make this work for all students so we can get the best education possible. That was um very touching and very important. >> Thank you so much.
028>> Um echoing a lot of what was already said tonight, my choice is also to support Ryan Grder to be superintendent. Um there were a number of points that he made in his presentation and our interview last night that I think will resonate with our community. Um a couple of them just for a point of reference is you know talking about the community bond desires and thinking about how our community prioritizes function over flashy. Um I also noted that he showed respect for parental rights and spoke of engaging with families around educational values. I particularly liked his intention around putting our money where our mouth is. And I feel like finances and um showing priorities with our budget is something that we are all trained in all of our classes with. Um and regarding finances,
029you know, none of our candidates have been a superintendent before, so I wasn't looking for um I was looking for understanding and understanding of the different pieces that factor in. And I felt like over the course of the interviews, he was able to show us various pieces of that understanding. When it comes down to it, um I think overall there were larger factors that I considered. Um insight, judgment, these are probably my personal top qualities for a leader to possess. Um and I thought that he showed solid insight in two different questions last night. um you know in in talking about how you know each level of leadership becomes more isolating. I thought that truly showed thought about the job itself. Um and I also noted like someone else said that he recognizes that he
030doesn't know everything. Um and I think that's a valuable place to start. Um I noted the student centered approach. I felt like he had really strong messaging skills in his presentation and his transition plans that we were able to read. Um, and I I like that we were able to see the highle vision presentation that we asked for and we were also able to see a really specific and thoughtful transition plan that I know was only provided to the board, but it really was very detailed. Um, and particularly noteworthy for me were priorities around student and staff wellness and mental health and also the retention of staff. I think in the end where I settled is that this is the absolute hardest thing I've done on the board and I joined the board in July
031of 2020 and went through CO and this is absolutely the hardest thing I've done. I didn't get a lot of sleep last night and I instead just thought about all of the comments that we've received, the enormous support for every candidate in our email box and the concerns about every candidate in our email box. There is absolutely no one right um person that we can pick for this job. But as a board, I just want to make the statement to our community that we are committed. We are here to provide support and guidance and leadership and a voice for our community and we are going to continue to do that no matter who is sitting in our superintendent spot. So with that, >> well said. >> Thank you. With that, it sounds like we have
032consensus and we can move to action. I'll move that the board of education appoint Ryan Brutder as superintendent of Dexter Community Schools starting March 1, 2026. subject to a mutually agreeable employment contract and authorize board president Elise Brutderly and board legal counsel to discuss contract terms with Mr. Brutder with the contract subject to board of approval. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? We are going to do a roll call vote tonight. Mr. Sakola. >> Miss Kangas. I Mrs. Riser. Hi. Mwah. I um Mr. Albreight >> hi. >> M >> I So with a unanimous vote, the board has taken action on this tonight. And I do just want to note for the community that Brian Arnold was not able to be here in person and due to the
033way the state law is now written, he cannot make a virtual vote for the reason he is gone. So uh he would have otherwise. See what? >> So with that, that is our final action item tonight and so we will adjourn. Thank you very much to everyone for being part of this process.