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-
Seymour Gretchko named Michigan's Superintendent of the Year.
oping in-service programs for
teachers, Gretchko said, provid-
ing each with a personal comput-
_t e. r in return for 60 hours of train-
hen the West
o ing over three years.
Bloomfield School
Although Gretchko empha-
District opened a
sized
how fortunate he was in
new building in
community
backing for the
1995, school board members
school
district,
other communi-
could have named it Greer
ties of similar income don't neces-
School, after the street where it's
sarily support their public schools
located, or Wellington School,
- to this extent.
after a nearby subdivision. They
Gretchko maintains tha-t sup-
could have used the opportunity
port in West Bloomfield not only
to memorialize a retired or
through academic expertise, but
deceased school employee.
also
through constant communi-
Instead, they took the unusual
.
cation
and openness.
step of naming the school
Several parents praised his
Gretchko Elementary in honor
involvement with the Parent
of Dr. Seymour Gretchko, the
Communication Network, a
district's current superintendent.
group that provides a forum for
"He was a little overwhelmed,
parent input. Each of the district's
but very gratified," recalled
West Bloomfield Superintendent Seymour Gretchko
11 buildings has its own PCN,
in the lobby of the district's high school.
school board member Beth
and
Gretchko attends nearly all of
Borson.
the
monthly
meetings held by the
Gretchko's response was the
Yorker, he received bachelor's, master's
central
body
of
PCN
representatives.
same this year, Borson said, when he
and doctoral degrees from Wayne
"He
certainly
doesn't
sit in his ivory
was named Michigan's Superintendent
State University.
tower,"
said
PCN
representative
Lou
of the Year — gratified but somewhat
Gretchko and his wife, Ilene, West
Goutman. "I find him to be a good
taken aback by the fuss.
Bloomfield residents since 1969, have
leader — open-minded and a very
In choosing Gretchko for the
three children and four grandchildren.
good listener."
award, the Michigan Association of
As superintendent,.Gretchko leads
Gretchko said credibility is always
School Administrators cited his
a 6,300-student district that has
an
issue in leadership. Its important
strong leadership skills, communica-
proved its willingness to invest in new
for
the public to know you're going to
tion skills, professionalism, communi-
construction, additions to existing
listen;
you're going to run an open sys-
ty involvement and the success of the
buildings and technology — all indi-
tem.
"
students...
cators of the trust the community has
This fall, students and parents
A panel of teachers, school admin-
in the district and its leader.
strongly protested a district decision to
istrators, board members and parents
A recent survey of southeast
ban backpacks at West Bloomfield
selected him for the honor. Gretchko
Michigan's public schools gave West
High School during the school day.
will receive the award at the MASA's
Bloomfield an A+.
Public meetings took place and,
midwinter conference.
"His strengths are many," Borson
even
though Gretchko had been a
"I am really happy the state has fig-
said. He has a vision for this school
strong
proponent of the ban, he
ured out what we have known for a
district and he never veers from that
reversed
the decision.
very long time," commented parent
vision. He never shuns any issue or
"We instituted the ban because of
Barbara DeMarco.
concern, and he's always moving for-
concerns over student safety," he said.
School board member David Gad-
ward. There's nothing negative I could
"Students and families were overwhelm-
Harf said Gretchko has the wisdom
say about the man."
ingly opposed so we went back to a vol-
and perception that speaks of many
In a recent interview, Gretchko said
untary
policy. My own feelings at the
years of experience. "But he doesn't
that any honor he receives is "due to
time
were
that the decision was appro-
rest on his laurels. Instead, he looks to
the people who labor in our schools,
priate.
But
when you raise questions
meet the needs of the students into
to the Board of Education, and to a
with
the
public,
you have to be respon-
the next century. "
community that values and treasures
sive to what the public tells you."
Gretchko, 69, became West
education."
Gad-Harf said the incident typified
Bloomfield's superintendent in 1983.
The technology program, in specif-
the superintendent's leadership style.
He came from the Detroit Public
ic, would not have been possible with-
"He realized it was time to back off
Schools, where he taught elementary,
out the support of both the school
and
move on, that there were larger
middle and high school, and worked
board and community, he said.
issues
to be dealt with," he said. "If it
as counselor, assistant principal and
Just having computers in the class-
were
an
issue vital to student learning,
principal before becoming a Detroit
room is not enough. West Bloomfield
he
would
have insisted on it." Ei
area superintendent. A native New
has been among the pioneers in devel-
DIANA LIEBERMAN
StaffWriter
W
"