The Milan News-Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Board zeros in on Girbach
Other applicants don't make cut
By Brian Cox, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: March 27, 2008
The Milan school board Wednesday night was expected to interview a sole candidate for the district's superintendent post.
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After reviewing the qualifications of 15 applicants March 19 for the superintendent's job, the board chose to interview only Bryan Girbach, the district's current assistant superintendent.
"We found no candidate who provided better qualifications than Bryan," said Board Vice President Chuck Bushart. "No external candidates had obvious advantages."
"There would have to have been several strong candidates with advantages above and beyond what Bryan offered," said Board President Dawn Allstetter. "We had to look at the whole picture, and we did."
The board initiated a superintendent's search in January in response to news that Dennis McComb was retiring at the end of June after having headed up the district for 12 years.
Employing the assistance of the Washtenaw Intermediate School District, the board conducted an external search for candidates.
The selection process' timetable called for the board to conduct interviews of a handful of candidates March 25 and 26 prior to making a decision at its April 9 meeting.
In deciding to interview only Girbach, board members said they believed they had done their due diligence.
"We wanted to be open-minded and entertain who else might be out there," Bushart said. "With Bryan, there are not a lot of unknowns. We know him. We know his resume, but it's a huge decision and we had to be sure."
Girbach joined the district in 1992 as a math teacher at the high school the summer after graduating from Eastern Michigan University. After five years, he became the assistant principal at the middle school.
Girbach earned a master's degree in educational leadership in 1998 from Wayne State University and the following year was named middle school principal. In 2005, he was appointed assistant superintendent. Last year, he obtained an education specialist degree in central office administration from Wayne State University.
Girbach is believed to have wide support both in the community and among district staff.
In addition to having two children in the school district, he is president of the Milan Rotary Club and sits on the board for the Greater Milan Area Community Foundation.
Board members said they expected their questions Wednesday night to focus on the future course of the district and how Girbach will handle the transition to the superintendent's seat.
"We have to do everything in our power to make a wise, informative decision," Allstetter said. "This process just affirms that we have looked at every possibility. It only confirms and backs up Bryan's position if it is offered to him."
Staff Writer Brian Cox can be reached at 429-7380 or bcox@heritage.com.
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