New superintendent starts in GPPSS

GROSSE POINTE WOODS — New Grosse Pointe Public School System Superintendent Andrea Tuttle took the reins from interim Superintendent Christian Fenton Feb. 5.

Tuttle — who had been the superintendent and human resources director for Owosso Public Schools since 2010 — was chosen to be the new leader of the GPPSS by a unanimous vote of the Grosse Pointe Board of Education Dec. 12.

Prior to becoming a superintendent in Owosso, Tuttle was a principal in Owosso Public Schools from 2008 to 2010 and worked as a teacher and principal for other districts before that, including a teaching stint in Perth, Australia. She has spent 28 years in education and has elementary and secondary teaching certificates.

Tuttle’s contract with the district was approved by a vote of 6-0 during a special board meeting Jan. 22 at Barnes School in Grosse Pointe Woods. Trustee Valarie St. John wasn’t present for the meeting.

Because the district hoped to have Tuttle take over at the beginning of February, “that is one of the reasons why we had to have this meeting (Jan. 22), so she could give proper notice to her (current district),” President Sean Cotton said.

Trustee Colleen Worden said they had “rigorous discussions about this contract over several meetings” and “hashed out a lot of important issues” during those sessions.

However, Worden had some concerns about the contract that the board was about to sign.

“I can’t wait for her to start,” Worden said. “I think Dr. Tuttle is going to be a fantastic superintendent. My reservation is, I think that the monetary amount is probably too high. But I do know that when we set the parameters (for the contract during the superintendent search), that we set it pretty high over some of our objections. … I do support her. I support this contract with some reservations on some of the facets that were put in there. But I do think that she is going to be a great person for our district.”

Tuttle’s salary was said to be about $310,000 plus benefits.

Vice President Ahmed Ismail was among those looking forward to Tuttle’s start.

“In the discussions that I’ve had with her, she’s very excited to be here and she’s really looking forward to working with all of us,” Ismail said.

Cotton said he’s heard the same thing from Tuttle in his conversations with her.

“She is very excited to start,” Cotton said.