NAOMI NORMAN

Facing an ongoing shortage of teachers, dozens of school districts across the state are launching a new program that would make it easier to be an educator in Michigan.

ANN ARBOR, MI - The Washtenaw Intermediate School District is inviting the community to tour its newly-renovated, 130,000-square-foot High Point School during an open house Thursday, May 19. “We are excited to open High Point’s doors to our community this spring,” WISD Superintendent Naomi Norman said in a statement. The building serves approximately 70 special needs students from each of the WISD’s nine local school districts who attend High Point, along with Honey Creek Community School and Gretchen’s House. The newly-renovated High Point is comprised of 32 classrooms, with an additional six rooms on one wing of the building to accommodate future program growth. READ MORE:Take a look inside the new $52M High Point School in Washtenaw CountyThese Washtenaw County students have been awarded National Merit ScholarshipsClasses canceled, masks reinstated at Ann Arbor school after COVID-19 uptick

ANN ARBOR, MI - Naomi Norman admits there wasn’t exactly a roadmap for the role she stepped into when she agreed to be the Washtenaw Intermediate School District’s interim superintendent at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The argument could be made, however, that few were more qualified to lead the WISD during a time of uncertainty, given the variety of roles Norman has had with the district the past 27 years.

ANN ARBOR, MI - As the Washtenaw County Intermediate School District launches its search for its new superintendent, its board is seeking community feedback on its current direction and what residents want to see in a new leader. Menzel was selected as the superintendent of Scottsdale Unified School District in Scottsdale, Arizona. Norman previously served as the intermediate school district’s assistant superintendent of achievement and systems support. “They came to us and said, ‘If you’re going to do an interim (superintendent) why don’t we cover this?’ They’ve done a good job. There’s no question about it - it’s been very, very effective.”READ MORE:Ypsilanti resident with previous board experience selected to Washtenaw ISD boardNew interim superintendent named by Washtenaw Intermediate School DistrictWashtenaw Intermediate School District superintendent named new leader of Arizona school district