As most people know, Dr. Richard Weigel, former superintendent of Niles Community Schools, resigned about a month ago. I wish I could discuss his resignation, but I cannot because it’s covered by rules about closed sessions of the school board. I can, however, discuss the accomplishments that Niles enjoyed during Dr. Weigel’s tenure.

Dr. Weigel became the superintendent of an average school district four years ago and immediately reinvigorated all aspects of the district. He changed the scheduling of kindergarten in Niles to make it more parent-friendly. He began work to reopen Eastside Elementary by enlisting volunteers to renovate the building. Both initiatives turned annual losses in student attendance into gains. The reopening of Eastside Elementary with volunteer help also built a strong relationship with parents and the citizens of Niles.

He continued the reinvigoration of Niles Community Schools by creating a new technology high school, which used problem-based or project-based solving as the education paradigm instead of the traditional method. The results after almost three years are striking. Niles New Tech students learn more each year than Niles students in the traditional high school. All other aspects of high school life such as discipline, attendance, etc. are significantly better than in the traditional Niles High School. The Niles New Tech has literally become a model for the Midwest.

Dr. Weigel shook up the moribund career technical educational (CTE) part of the high school by hiring new teachers and by remodeling the CTE wing of the high school building. At the same time, he partnered with Lake Michigan College and Southwestern Michigan College to improve CTE for Niles’ students. Along with improving CTE, the partnership with those community colleges meant that many more students from Niles High School earn associate degrees during their high school years.

Dr. Weigel devoted much effort to helping students who were falling behind their peers. He started a Saturday Academy with Federal money for such students. It meets for four hours every Saturday morning for students having problems in kindergarten through fifth grade. Students learn mathematics and reading to reinforce what they learn Monday through Friday. Standardized tests indicate that it successfully improves skills. He also began a W-A-Y Program that helps students who could not prosper in a formal classroom environment. Before Dr. Weigel, home-schooled kids received little attention from Niles Community Schools.

This year, he started a Montessori school for preschoolers and a few kindergarten kids. Each year, Niles will add another class until we offer Montessori through the sixth grade. As a board member, I see a trend in Niles. No longer is there only one path from kindergarten through 12th grade. Students and parents can chose from a variety of educational experiences. Now parents and students can chose from Montessori to new tech to the traditional methods of learning. Niles has earned the admiration of the region for having the most innovative school district in Southwestern Michigan.

The Niles Community School system was in a financial decline when Dr. Weigel arrived. Most school board meetings involved managing that decline by encouraging teachers to retire, closing schools, or by privatizing services. Dr. Weigel reversed that decline by increasing enrollment and by correcting long-standing union contract structural problems. I enjoyed serving on the board during his tenure. His reforms were sometimes stressful and difficult, but more importantly they were successful. Dr. Weigel stated from the first that good wasn’t good enough. He would aim for great. He set high standards for himself, for administrators, and for teachers.