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Williamston board approves two teacher hires, names new Explorer Elementary principal
Summary
The Williamston Community Schools Board of Education approved hiring two new classroom teachers, Janelle Wheeler and Shelby Durbin, and voted to appoint Catherine Kluszak as principal of Explorer Elementary, effective July 1, 2025.
The Williamston Community Schools Board of Education voted to hire two new teachers and to appoint a principal on motions presented during the May meeting.
The board approved hiring Janelle Wheeler as a fourth-grade teacher and Shelby Durbin as a fifth-grade teacher for the 2025–26 school year. The board also approved the appointment of Catherine Kluszak as principal of Explorer Elementary (grades 3–5), effective July 1, 2025.
Why it matters: The hires fill classroom and building leadership vacancies ahead of the 2025–26 school year. Board members and administrators described the selections as part of the district’s deliberate hiring process, emphasizing classroom fit and instructional experience.
Wheeler, a Michigan State University graduate with a degree in elementary and special education, taught in Williamston this year, co-teaching high school math and later serving as lead teacher in a third-grade classroom during a maternity leave. Superintendent Adam Spina told the board Wheeler “maintains a calm and productive learning environment” and recommended hiring her.
Durbin graduated from Saginaw Valley State University in December and completed student teaching in Howell Public Schools. Spina recounted references praising Durbin’s ability to manage midyear transitions and to set “clear and high expectations.” The board approved the motion to hire her for the 2025–26 school year.
Spina introduced Catherine Kluszak as the superintendent’s unanimous recommendation for Explorer Elementary principal. Spina described a multi-stage hiring process that began with 25 applicants and included screening interviews, classroom observation/debriefs with current Explore teachers, and reference checks. Spina said Kluszak’s background includes kindergarten classroom experience with East Lansing Public Schools, leadership roles on MTSS (multi-tiered systems of support) and special education teams, and administrative certificates.
Kluszak addressed the board and thanked district staff and the hiring panel; she told board members she and her family intended to relocate so her child could attend Williamston schools. The board approved the motion assigning Kluszak to Explorer Elementary, grades 3–5, effective July 1, 2025.
Board procedure and votes: Each hire was approved after a motion, a second, and the board’s voice vote. No roll-call vote tally was recorded in the transcript for the individual hiring motions; board members responded “Aye” and the chair declared the motions carried.
Looking ahead: The new staff will begin work with the district in the 2025–26 school year; Kluszak’s start date was specified as July 1, 2025. The hires were presented as the district’s routine oversight of staffing and fit for the Williamston culture.
