The Lake Orion Board of Education approved two interim principals at their August 26 regular meeting.
Mike Fenchel and Tom Tobe were unanimously voted in for a 10-week stay at the high school. The two will split the principalship, one occupying the position three days and week, and the other two.
‘We’re in search of an interim principal and we’re going to get two from the price of one,? said Superintendent Ken Gutman. ‘These gentleman come highly recommended.?
According Gutman, the district will continue looking for a permanent replacement for former Principal Todd Dunckley. Dunckley took an assistant principal position at Oakview Middle School.
If the district finds a new principal during Fenchel and Tobe’s temporary stay, the two will help the replacement during a short transition before leaving, according to Fenchel. Until then, both will be paid per diem without benefits.
It will be ‘business as usual? at the high school, Fenchel said.
Fenchel and Tobe are both retired school administrators. Fenchel spent 33 years in metro-Detroit schools, the last 12 of which as principal for Franklin High School in Livonia. Tobe spent 13 years as a middle and high school administrator among his 37 years in Troy and Livonia schools.
Prior to retiring in 2000 and 2007, respectively, Fenchel and Tobe worked together for four years at Franklin High School.
‘We hit it off immediately,? Fenchel said, ‘I truly couldn’t do this [interim position] with anyone else.?
Both interim principals describe their management and education philosophies as incredibly similar.
‘I’ve got to believe that one of your concerns is how do two people do a co-principalship,? Fenchel said. ‘Tom and I have worked very closely together. We think along the same lines and philosophy-wise, we’re going the same page. If you would ask one of our wives, they’d say that we share a brain.?
Tobe said their main priority is to start the school year off strong, especially for freshman and seniors, and to advance the state of the high school.
‘The key thing is to continue to have growth,? Tobe said. ‘We want to make sure we’re not the same, but progressing. We’ll be running on all cylinders.?
‘We’re not just here as a stop-gap measure,? Fenchel said. ‘We have a job to do. Our main focus now is getting the year off to a good start.?