By Megan Kelley
Review Writer
As the school year begins its descent into summer, Lake Orion Community Schools prepares for the next steps into the 2019-2020 school year.
With Superintendent Marion Ginopolis’ previous two-year contract expiring at the end of this current school year, the board was tasked with deciding whether to extend Ginopolis’ contract or begin the search for a new superintendent.
The contract extension was proposed to the school board during its March 27 meeting, with the board voting unanimously in favor of the extension.
Ginopolis’s contract will be extended until the end of the 2020 school year. The district did not release any other details of the contract.
“Under Marion’s leadership in the past eight years, the district has brought forward many creative initiatives, and was also successful with the bond proposal this past November,” said school board President Birgit McQuiston. “Lake Orion Community Schools is poised to move forward with many exciting things academically and with the work of the bond. Marion’s vast educational experience and knowledge will not only provide on-going leadership, but also stability as we move forward this next year.”
Ginopolis became the superintendent of Lake Orion Community Schools in 2010, according to the district.
In this time she has “transformed the culture and prestige of the district, making it (Lake Orion) one of the premier destinations in Oakland County,” states the district website.
More recently, she was in the forefront of the $160 million, zero tax rate increase bond proposal which, was passed in November 2018 with 55.36 percent of voters supporting the proposal.
That bond was the first sucessful bond in the district since 2002.
In the months since the November vote, the school board, Ginopolis, her cabinet and several committees have been busy preparing for bond work as well as several other projects, both new and old.
“Next year, outside of bond work, to name a few, I will be focusing on ensuring the successful implementation of: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) program at the elementary schools (ongoing), career education initiatives at the high school, flex schedule pilot at the high school, Dragon University for staff (for more on flex schedule and Dragon University see page 3), legislation impacting educational issues, increased parent/community involvement in schools and developing business/school partnerships,” Ginopolis said in an emailed statement to The Lake Orion Review.
After the unanimous vote Ginopolis stated her excitement moving forward . “We have a lot going on and next year is going to be as busy as this year,” she said.