The Cedar Springs Public Schools Board will interview five candidates next week—including current Assistant Superintendent David Cairy—as potential replacements for retiring Superintendent Ron McDermed.
The candidates are Assistant Superintendent David Cairy; Gibraltar/Shumate Middle School Principal Brad Coon; Boyne Falls Public Schools Superintendent Karen Sherwood; Hudsonville Human Resources and Assessment Director Scott Smith; and Laura Van Duyne, the executive director of a special education consortium in Concord, California.
The candidates were selected from a pool of 15 applicants. First round interviews for Coon and Smith will be held at 6:00 and 7:30 p.m. on March 17; Sherwood and VanDuyne at 6:00 and 7:30 p.m. on March 19; and Cairy at 6 p.m. on March 21. Second round interviews are scheduled for March 26. The public is invited to attend the interviews, which will take place in the Hilltop board room.
Following are short bios for each candidate:
David Cairy
David Cairy was named Cedar Springs’ assistant superintendent in 2007 and has led a variety of educational initiatives as well as serving as the district’s chief financial officer. Before joining the central office administrative team, Cairy was principal at Cedar Trails Elementary and a teacher at the Jefferson Elementary School in South Redford. He holds a Masters in K-12 administration from Michigan State University and a Bachelor’s degree in social sciences from Grand Valley State University.
Brad Coon
Brad Coon has been a principal in the Gibraltar district since 2004 and was an assistant principal at Algonac High School from 2002-04. He has also served as an alternative education consultant at Oakland Schools and a teacher in the Orchard View and Fruitport districts. He holds an education specialist degree from Oakland University, a master’s in education from Grand Valley State University, and a bachelor’s degree from Grand Valley State University.
Karen Sherwood
Karen Sherwood was named principal of the Boyne City Middle School after serving as a teacher in the building for 14 years prior to her 2010 appointment as the superintendent in Boyne Falls. She holds a master’s in education leadership from Grand Valley State University, a master’s in early childhood development from Central Michigan University and a bachelor’s from the University of Michigan at Dearborn.
Scott Smith
Scott Smith was a middle school principal and assistant principal in the Hamilton district from 1995-2011 before joining the Hudsonville district in his present position. He holds an education specialist degree from Grand Valley State University, a master’s in educational leadership and a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Western Michigan University.
Laura Van Duyne has served as executive director of the State SELPA, Contra Costa Special Education Joint Powers Authority since 2010 and held a variety of administrative and leadership positions in the Antioch, CA, system from 2003-2010. She holds a doctorate in education from the University of San Francisco, a master’s in education administration from Minnesota State University and a bachelor’s in education from the University of Nevada.
