Ypsilanti Superintendent Dedrick Martin accepts position in St. Johns
Previous coverage:
Ypsilanti Public Schools Superintendent Dedrick Martin will be leaving the new Ypsilanti Community Schools district and consolidation effort to take a position with St. Johns Public Schools.
Dedrick Martin
Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com
Martin will begin his new role on July 1.
Martin also was named a finalist this week for the superintendent position at the Kalamazoo Regional Education Service Agency, the intermediate school district in Kalamazoo County. MLive reported that Martin has withdrawn from consideration in order to accept the job at St. Johns.
St. Johns, which is located about 30 minutes north of Lansing, is a district similar in size to Ypsilanti. It had a fall enrollment of 3,134 students, while Ypsilanti's enrollment was 3,339.
Martin was out of the office Friday and could not be reached for comment. An email from Martin was posted to a Facebook page for supporters of the Ypsilanti Community Schools, the new consolidated Ypsilanti-Willow Run district that will be launch July 1. In the email, Martin wrote that he is excited for this next phase in his career and for his family, but also is saddened to be leaving as he looks back at the memories he's shared with the students, educators and community members in Ypsilanti.
Martin was hired at Ypsilanti Public Schools in August of 2009 and came in under difficult circumstances. The district had passed a deficit budget in June of that year and it was expected to be an uphill battle to get YPS out of debt within two years.
In the spring of 2012, both the Ypsilanti and Willow Run school districts, behind the leadership of Martin and Willow Run Superintendent Laura Lisiscki, began pursuing consolidation, which voters ultimately approved in November 2012.
Martin was to be retained as an associated superintendent, along with Lisiscki, in the new Ypsilanti Community Schools district, although the details of that arrangement had not been released yet.
Washtenaw Intermediate School District and YCS Superintendent Scott Menzel could not immediately be reached for comment on Martin's departure.
Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.
Comments
Rob Thompson
Mon, May 20, 2013 : 8:49 p.m.
ALL THE GOOD GUYS (AND GALS) ARE GONE! Dedrick Martin, Sharon Irvine, Jennifer Martin, Aaron Rose The district only has leftovers left
Rob Thompson
Mon, May 20, 2013 : 8:45 p.m.
3 Superintendents, when 1 competent one would do; 2 Athletic Directors, when 1 competent one would do. I am beginning to think that Menzel and Snyder are intentionally sabotaging the Ypsilanti Community and it's schools. They would like nothing better than to shut down the urban blight of Wash County!
Rob Thompson
Mon, May 20, 2013 : 8:40 p.m.
Good for Dedrick! He was definitely the brightest bulb of the THREE superintendents. Now the new district is left with weak and weaker (Menzel & Lisiscki). It's getting worse all the time! And just wait until you hear the stunt about to be pulled at tonight's board meeting! If hiring 3 supts wasn't irresponsible and ludicrous enough, Menzel's bright idea after hiring an incompetent Athletic Director (over 4 very competent internal candidates!) he now has to backtrack and hire someone to train the AD. Now Loren Cartwright, retired Ann Arbor Public Schools AD, will be paid with part of the 6.5 million to work with Lamanzer Williams. Does ANYONE else think these jokers are shady and wasting our tax dollars?????????
seriously-ypsi
Mon, May 20, 2013 : 12:18 a.m.
Bahaha I have to laugh looking reading this article I can't call this news. Martins experience in Houston, Chicago and Ypsi has prepared him for St. Johns about as much as me drinking beer prepares me for a marathon. His epic failures throughout his career has led him to a district with the diversity of white bread and mayo. Don't report on the issues lies or corruption instead call it a similar district to drink more of the kool aid.
beardown
Sat, May 18, 2013 : 3:53 p.m.
I guess more properly phrased as to not get deleted. A lot of the issues with Martin center upon what people perceive to be a lack of buy-in in the new district. He spoke a good game while he was throwing resumes at other jobs.
Rob Thompson
Mon, May 20, 2013 : 8:47 p.m.
He was forced to speak a good game by the politicians that pushed this through. Now Menzel's only puppet is Lisiscki. He's got her trained. Dedrick was to smart and too savvy to be his puppet. In fact, he could have done a much better job than Scott Menzel!!
tom swift jr.
Sat, May 18, 2013 : 3:42 a.m.
Anyone taking bets as to if Menzel will hire another assistant superintendent to replace Martin?
beardown
Sat, May 18, 2013 : 12:26 p.m.
He might be losing the other Martin too (Jennifer, no relation), so he will need to hire two more people to keep the top loaded bloat of the new district going.
sc8
Sat, May 18, 2013 : 12:22 a.m.
the new consolidated Ypsilanti-Willow Run district that will be launch(ed) July 1.
AMOC
Fri, May 17, 2013 : 7:02 p.m.
Nothing against Mr Dedrick Martin, but I look at this as a "1 down, 1 more to go" situation for the new Ypsilanti Community Schools district. There was no way that district could afford 3 superintendents, and now they won't have to. They really can't afford 2 superintendents either, although I suppose they should have at least 1. Good luck, Dedrick Martin. Thanks for your timely and responsible effort to find yourself a new position.
beardown
Sat, May 18, 2013 : 12:25 p.m.
Ytwon, if they negotiated that into his deal, then every member of the WISD board, as well as those old YSD members on the new board, need to be removed immediately. I would be fine if they got rid of the remaining two and then did an actual search for candidates for the position. You know, like St. John's did.
Y-TownMom
Sat, May 18, 2013 : 5:30 a.m.
Won't the district have to pay him anyway? I think that the sup. contracts say that they'll be paid their full salaries no matter what.
John
Fri, May 17, 2013 : 5:44 p.m.
"St. Johns, which is located about 30 minutes north of Lansing, is a district similar in size to Ypsilanti." Size is about the only thing that SJ shares with Ypsi. I suggest Mr Martin look into purchasing a jacked-up 4x4 with mud tires. This will give him much greater clout with his constituants. Take it from a native.
lynel
Sat, May 18, 2013 : 12:02 a.m.
I don't know if he has kids, but if he does, they could help integrate the schools there.
treetowncartel
Fri, May 17, 2013 : 7:03 p.m.
I concur, it is a different community for sure.
moonunit
Fri, May 17, 2013 : 4:32 p.m.
Good for him. Many thanks for all he did for the Ypsilanti schools. Good luck at St. Johns!
Kyle Feldscher
Fri, May 17, 2013 : 3:36 p.m.
I've always found Dedrick to be a very agreeable and friendly man. Wishing him the best in this future role.