GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids Public Schools is one step closer to having a new leader after the school board selected longtime educator Allison Tingwall to serve as the district’s next superintendent.
Tingwall and the district must still finalize a contract before the appointment becomes official.
Tingwall, who currently works for Chicago Public Schools, was chosen Wednesday over Kelly Greene of Grand Rapids Public Schools. Board members made their choice after a final day of the selection process that included district visits, conversations with community members and interviews with both candidates.
Leadriane Roby will remain superintendent through the end of the school year before Tingwall takes over.
GRPS began looking for Roby’s successor in February, when the district announced she would stay in the position for one additional year, through June 2027.
Grand Rapids Public Schools sought community input as part of the selection process. During August and September, the district held 20 focus groups, four in-person town halls and a virtual town hall.
An online survey also gave students, employees, families and community members an opportunity to weigh in on the qualities they wanted in the district’s next leader.
Tingwall brings about two decades of experience in education. She currently serves as executive director of principal quality for Chicago Public Schools, where her work focuses on recruiting, developing and retaining principals across more than 520 schools.
She previously led Curie Metropolitan High School, a school of about 3,000 students on Chicago’s Southwest Side. Earlier in her career, Tingwall worked as a literacy tutor and taught Spanish and math at North Lawndale College Prep. She has also taught at the University of Illinois Chicago.
Tingwall has connections to Michigan. She attended Dearborn Public Schools and Novi Community School District before earning her bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan.
She later received a master’s degree in instructional leadership and a doctorate in urban education leadership from the University of Illinois Chicago.
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