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Whiteford board creates middle school principal post, approves new teaching positions and hires
Summary
The Whiteford Agricultural School Board voted to create a Middle School Principal position and a Middle School PE/Strength teacher for 2026–27, approved several paraprofessional hires and a new middle-school counselor, and adopted a district vision moving to a three-building structure.
The Whiteford Agricultural School Board of Education voted March 23 to create a Middle School Principal position and a Middle School Physical Education/Strength Teacher beginning in the 2026–27 school year as part of a broader District Vision that administrators said will shift the district to a three-building structure and a revised specials schedule.
Board President Shane Hillard presided over the meeting in Ottawa Lake. Superintendent Scott L. Huard and building principals Sam Marsh (elementary) and Jeremy Fielder (middle/high) presented the vision and transition planning that the board cited when approving the new positions. The motion to create the Middle School Physical Education/Strength Teacher passed on a roll-call vote (Hillard, Bunge, Dixon, Hauser, lott, Vida — 6 yes; Tom Wenzel absent). The subsequent motion to create a Middle School Principal position also passed on a 6–0 roll call.
The board approved several personnel hires tied to day-to-day operations and student support. Motions approved included hiring Alexandria Ausmus as an Elementary Title 1 Paraprofessional (retroactive to Feb. 17, 2026) and Ashley McKenzie as an Elementary Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Paraprofessional (start date March 24, 2026); both appointments are contingent on favorable prior-conduct and FBI/State of Michigan background checks. The board also approved hiring Julie Meyer as the Middle School Counselor at Step 12, MA with an estimated salary of $66,000–$68,000, contingent on background checks and beginning in the 2026–27 school year.
Superintendent Huard told the board the district is in year four of a five-year strategic plan and provided a staffing overview covering 2021–28 that administrators said supports the restructuring. The board’s actions formalize the personnel and organizational changes discussed in that presentation.
Future steps noted by the district include finalizing job descriptions, posting recruitment materials for any open certifications, and confirming start dates after completion of required background checks. The board approved the personnel and position-creation motions unanimously among members present (6 yes; 1 absent).
