The Goodrich School Board voted 7-0 on Wednesday night to offer a contract to John Fazer the current superintendent at Holton Public Schools. The board and Fazer will begin contract negotiations in the near future.
Frazer was selected over Mark Kleinhans, the current superintendent at the Montrose School District, to replace current Goodrich Superintendent Larry Allen, who was formally hired in December 2007, after former Superintendent Kim Hart was put on administrative leave in July 2007. Allen’s contract ends June 30 and he says it’s time to retire.
‘I’m excited about coming, it’s going to be a good fit,? said Fazer, 56, a native of the central Upper Peninsula community of Powers, Mich.
Since 2005 he was superintendent at Holton Public Schools on the west side of the state. The district has an enrollment of about 1,100 students and 65 teachers. He currently earns about $108,000 per year in the Holton School District.
‘When I started there in 2005 the fund equity balance was about $14,000,? he said. ‘We now have $1.1 million set aside, about 12 percent of a $9.9 million budget.?
In comparison, the Goodrich School District has about an $18 million budget and about 114 teachers.
Fazer’s first teaching employment was in Brisbane, Australia when he served in the Queensland Education Department. He also served as a varsity basketball coach at Wayland High School and Stephenson High School. From 1984 to 2002, Fazer was an Elementary Principal in Fremont Public Schools.
Fazer earned a Master’s Degree in secondary administration from Central Michigan University, a Bachelor of Arts from Carthage College, Kenosha, Wis. He graduated high school from St. Lawrence Seminary, Mt. Calvary, Wis.
Carl Hartman of the Michigan Association of School Boards helped recruit Fazer from the Holton Public Schools.
‘His experiences as a superintendent, coupled with the excellent work he’s done in the past, makes John a great fit for Goodrich,? said Hartman. ‘John has worked on two bond issues and has worked with labor unions very effectively..?
The Holton Public School District had been without a teacher contract for two years before Fazer became superintendent in July 2005. About two-and-a-half years to later in early 2008, Fazer resolved the dispute.
‘When I started at the Holton Schools there was some bad history with the district and the teachers? union,? said Fazer. ‘The district had some difficulties, but it ended up a win-win situation for the teachers and the school district.?
According to Fazer, the landmark solution involved teachers accepting a lower cost but comparable health care insurance plan, which saved the district thousands of dollars a year. The teachers also agreed to make an annual employee health insurance contribution of $100, in addition to sharing in annual insurance cost increases.