After two, separate national searches, Grand Rapids Public Schools has found its next superintendent. Monday evening the board of education formerly announced that Dr. Leadriane Roby, had been offered the job.
Roby comes from Minnesota, where she has been the Assistant Superintendent of Richfield Public Schools in Richfield, MN since 2014, however, its a return to West Michigan for the new Superintendent, as Roby earned her Ph.D. in K-12 Educational Leadership, Research, and Technology from Western Michigan University.
The Board voted 7-2 in favor of hiring Roby at Monday’s work session. President Kristen Grant told board members why she felt Roby is the best person for the job.
“As we talk about what the next decade for the district looks like, we have said in many different ways that the next 10 years has to be an evolution of the culture at GRPS,” Grant said. “And a real investment in curriculum in the classroom, (and so for those reasons) I do support Dr. Roby.”
Board members Raynard Ross and Kimberly Williams were the two no votes against Roby, however, both said during that the new superintendent would have their support moving forward.
Roby, an African-American woman, said during her interview process with the board, that she wants to make sure every student in the district is giving an equal chance at success. Roby replaces Teresa Weatherall Neal, who stepped down last June.