| The Grand Rapids Public Schools Board of Education is in search of a new superintendent. This posting includes the search criteria established by the Board of Education. Please see the attached document. Grand Rapids is a vibrant, innovative, award-winning city that is gaining national attention. Located in West Michigan, roughly 30 miles east of Lake Michigan, Grand Rapids is the second largest city in Michigan. It is consistently ranked among the “top ten” cities to live, work, and play including 10 Best Cities to Raise a Family, Most Affordable U.S. Cities to Buy a Home, 10 Best Mid-Sized Cities for Jobs, Top 10 Best Places to Live, Top Up and Coming Cities in the U.S., Top U.S. Cities for Growth, Top 12 Cities Leading the Way in Sustainability. A historic furniture-manufacturing center, Grand Rapids is home to five of the world’s leading office furniture companies and is nicknamed “Furniture City”. It is also known as “River City” because of the landmark river for which it is named, and “Beer City” thanks to the large number of award-winning breweries in the region. The city and surrounding communities are economically diverse, based in health care, information technology, automotive, aviation, food service, higher education, and more. Grand Rapids is widely recognized for its arts and cultural attractions including the world famous ArtPrize competition, Frederick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids Public Museum, Grand Rapids Symphony, Grand Rapids Art Museum, Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, Grand Rapids Opera, Grand Rapids Ballet, Civic Theatre, Circle Theater, Broadway GR, and more. The area is also home to several minor league athletic teams including the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey, West Michigan Whitecaps baseball, Grand Rapids Drive basketball, and the Grand Rapids Football Club soccer, which are hosted at popular arenas around the city. Grand Rapids is a foundation of education boasting the presence of several higher education institutions including Grand Valley State University, Calvin College, Aquinas College, Cornerstone University, Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine, Davenport University, Ferris State University/Kendall College of Art and Design, Kuyper College, and Grand Rapids Community College. The core of education in Grand Rapids comes from Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS). GRPS is Michigan’s seventh largest public school district and the third largest employer in the City of Grand Rapids, serving nearly 17,000 students with 2,700 employees, including 1,100 dedicated teachers. The student population represents 55 countries with 54 different languages spoken, creating a value-added educational experience and benefit that is above and beyond a basic education. For more than 150 years, GRPS has served the students and families of Grand Rapids. In 2012, GRPS embarked on a Transformation Plan designed to expand what’s working, invest in talent retention, recruitment, and development, and create a culture of stability and growth. The success of the GRPS Transformation Plan has gained the district state and national attention for significant increases in graduation rates, college readiness, advanced placement, and student attendance. GRPS is proud to offer the largest selection of school choices in the region including neighborhood schools, theme schools, Centers of Innovation, alternative education, charter, and center-based special education schools. |
