GVSU names special assistant for charter schools

ALLENDALE, Mich. -- Grand Valley State University President Thomas J. Haas has chosen the superintendent of Saugatuck Public Schools to direct the university's charter school office.
 
Tim Wood has been the superintendent of Saugatuck Public Schools for six years. He’s in his third decade in K-12 education in Michigan. He has been a teacher, department head, principal, and superintendent. He was principal at Northview High School just prior to his selection by Saugatuck.
 
He is also an adjunct faculty member in Grand Valley’s College of Education.
 
Haas said Wood’s experience and educational philosophy make him the logical choice to serve as the president’s Special Assistant for Charter Schools. “Tim brings significant experience and a deep belief that families and students should have choice in education,” said Haas. “Tim has a history of leadership that focuses on student learning and accountability, and he believes in the importance of strong governance.”
 
Wood said it is difficult to leave Saugatuck, but the position at Grand Valley will be challenging and rewarding. “I am excited about working for
an organization like Grand Valley State University," said Wood. "What an opportunity to work with the boards, teachers, and administrators of the university’s charter schools.”
 
Wood will begin his new position at Grand Valley July 1, 2009.
 
Grand Valley State University and its 28 public school academies serve approximately 16,000 public school students and their parents. Charter schools in Michigan enroll more than 100,000 students in more than 230 schools striving to combine the best that parental choice, competition, aligned curricula, and public accountability can provide. Grand Valley’s Charter Schools Office believes public charter schools can partner with other traditional public schools to best serve the state’s interest in providing a free public education to all students.
 
Grand Valley State University attracts nearly 24,000 students with high-quality programs and state-of-the-art facilities. Grand Valley is the comprehensive regional university for Michigan’s second largest metropolitan area and offers 71 undergraduate and 27 graduate degree programs. It has campuses in Allendale, Grand Rapids and Holland, and centers in Muskegon and Traverse City. The university is dedicated to individual student achievement, going beyond the traditional classroom experience, with research opportunities and business partnerships.