VIDEO: Interviewing the Pleasant Ridge Elementary and Saline Middle School Principals

UPDATED

Staff, parents and administrators interviewed candidates for the principal positions at Saline Middle School and Pleasant Ridge Elementary School Monday evening. The video is below and will be removed at some point in the near future, according to Saline Area Schools officials.

The Pleasant Ridge community is providing feedback HERE.

The Saline Middle School community is providing feedback HERE. 

Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Curt Ellis told an audience of staff members at Saline High School that two or three finalists would be brought back for an interview with central administration Wednesday.

The Board of Education is not expected to approve the hirings until its meeting Aug. 11. In the first round, the district interviewed 20 candidates for the middle school position and 16 candidates for the elementary post. 

There were four candidates for each post interviewed Monday. 

Here's a brief look at the candidates, with the information provided by Saline Area Schools.

SALINE MIDDLE SCHOOL CANDIDATES

Matt Ceo

Matt Ceo is currently the Assistant Principal of Beach Middle School in the Chelsea School District in Chelsea, Michigan. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan, a Master of Science from Concordia University and a School Administrator Certificate. Matt previously worked for Saline Area Schools as a middle school teacher, dean of students and served as a stand-in administrator.

Musetta Deneen

Musetta Deneen is currently the Assistant School Leader at FlexTech High School in Brighton, Michigan. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and English and a Master of Arts in Educational Studies, as well as a K-12 Administrator Certificate. Musetta has previously worked in Van Buren Public Schools, Ann Arbor Public Schools and at Pathways to Success Academic Campus as a teacher.

Alex Schukow

Alex Schukow is currently the Assistant Principal of Saline Middle School. He holds a Bachelor of Science (Secondary Teaching  Endorsement), a Master of Science and a Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership - along with a Secondary Teaching  Endorsement and K-12 Administrator Certificate. Alex has also taken career steps at Cesar Chavez Academy High School (teacher) and Monroe High School (teacher, high school assistant principal).

Andy Zimmer

Andy Zimmer is currently the Middle School Director at Emerson School in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership. Andy has held many roles at Emerson, including: middle school teacher, technology integrator and curriculum coordinator. Prior to Emerson, Andy also served at Zurich International School (Ohio) as a middle school teacher and curriculum coordinator

PLEASANT RIDGE ELEMENTARY CANDIDATES

Megan DeGrand

Megan is currently the Dean of Students at Heritage School in Saline. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and Masters in K-12  Administration and possesses a Michigan Administrator Certificate. Megan has spent her career serving the Saline Community, as a teacher at Houghton, Pleasant Ridge and Woodland Meadows Elementary prior to taking her current leadership position.

Kenyatta Hughes

Kenyatta is currently the Principal at Beacon Elementary in Harper Woods, Michigan. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, a Master's Degree with ZA in Early Childhood, and a Certificate from the Pathway to Leadership Administrator Program. Prior to her current leadership position, Kenyatta served the Harper Woods School District as a teacher and took on various support roles.

Melanie Nowak

Melanie currently serves as the West STEAM Center Principal in Tecumseh Public Schools. She holds a Master of Science, Bachelor of Arts (both in Education), and State of Michigan Administrative Certificate. Prior to her current position, Melanie has held multiple administrative positions in Tecumseh, acted as a Competency-Based Education Consultant, served as a teacher at Ida Public Schools, tutored and taught summer school at Ypsilanti Community Schools and worked in Student Support Services at Siena Heights University.

Sherry Soenen

Sherry is currently the MTSS Coordinator at Pleasant Ridge Elementary for the last eight years. She holds a Bachelor of Science, M.S. Ed. Masters in the Art of Teaching and a Professional Education Certificate. Prior to her current position, Sherry has served the Pleasant Ridge Community since 2000 as classroom and specials teacher.

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