GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – The leader of Northeast Wisconsin’s largest school district has announced plans to retire.
Green Bay School District Superintendent Michelle Langenfeld says June 30, 2020, will be her last day, and said to her, the earlier the school board knows, the better.
“Knowing that I was going to be retiring, I wanted to be respectful of the board.”
Langenfeld’s current contract expires on June 30, 2020.
She has been in charge of Green Bay schools since 2011.
Langenfeld recently received praise for referendums that passed to expand programs and add space, saying that will add to the attraction of the job.
“There is a lot of investment and I see that as a very positive attractor.”
However, she also faced challenges in her tenure, most notable concerns of dangerous conditions at Washington Middle School.
She says necessary improvements have been made, and it should not be a detractor to someone from applying for the job.
“Washington is on a positive trajectory, not only for behavior but also for academics.”
Last summer, the district hired a new principal and an outside consulting firm to turn around the school.
“During the past eight years, the collective impact of Dr. Langenfeld’s leadership to operationalize the Board of Education’s mission, coupled with the immense support from our community has positioned the District well for the future,” school board president Brenda Warren said in a news release.
Board member Rhonda Sitnikau feels there is room for change in the position.
“The district has made decisions based on optics and public relations and not what is best for students and staff.”
She says despite concerns of dangerous conditions at Washington Middle School last year, Sitnikau says the position should be one that will get a lot of interest, but their job is to make sure that they find someone who is able to meet challenges where they are at.
“We need to make a commitment to the community that we are going to find an individual that understands that bold courageous decision making and leadership is a critical key that we need to ensure that our students and staff will have the best support,” she said. “I think there are people out there, and I am hoping that some of them come forward.”
She says it will be important that the next Superintendent meets decisions where they are at.”
Langenfeld says she is stepping back to spend more time with family, and she has not and will not run this position as a 9 to 5 job.
“This job is really important to me and I want to be available to the students and families 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”
She says that extra time is one thing she will enjoy, but is not looking too far ahead as she has a school year and a semester to complete yet, and is not willing to treat the position as a lame-duck job.
Langenfeld has been active in the community, serving on the boards of Achieve Brown County, Partners in Education, Greater Green Bay Chamber, Einstein Project, and Brown County United Way. She was also appointed by state Assembly Speaker Robin Vos to serve on the Blue Ribbon Commission for School Funding.
Before coming to Green Bay, Langenfeld was an associate superintendent of a school district in the suburbs of Minnesota’s Twin Cities.
