WHITEHALL — Whitehall didn’t have to look far to find its next superintendent of schools, believing the right answer was already in the building.
The school board unanimously appointed assistant superintendent CJ Van Wieren as interim superintendent for the coming academic year at its monthly meeting Monday, following Van Wieren’s presentation of his candidacy. Current superintendent Jerry McDowell is retiring effective Dec. 31 and will work with Van Wieren to help the transition through that date.
The board’s approval of Van Wieren was clear even prior to the official appointment; board member Paula Martin said she was thrilled with Van Wieren’s career trajectory, having worked with him his entire Whitehall career, and treasurer Jimmy TenBrink joked after making the motion to appoint Van Wieren that all the pressure was on now.
During the presentation, Van Wieren emphasized community engagement and transparency, saying he hopes to be able to communicate effectively with all stakeholders in the district. He added, “My favorite word is ‘win,’” going on to say he looks at successes big and small as wins.
Van Wieren said being a superintendent was not on his radar when he first pursued education - he was an elementary school teacher for his first seven years, three of them at Whitehall’s Ealy Elementary - but as his career progressed, he found himself drawn to leadership roles. Van Wieren, who until this season was also offensive coordinator for the Vikings’ football team, became principal of Whitehall Middle School in 2016 before moving into the assistant superintendent role last year.
“I feel like I’ve gravitated towards those roles my whole life,” Van Wieren said. “As I was a middle school principal for a few years and joined the (Superintendent Professional Preparation Series Academy), that’s what really started to change my mindset of what you can do at different levels of leadership.”
McDowell said Van Wieren has long impressed at Whitehall with his willingness to take on any challenge that could improve the school district.
“CJ has always been somebody who’s taken on extra initiatives or expressed interest in learning more about school leadership and building communities,” McDowell said. “As his time in our school district continued, it was evident that he was someone that would be able to lead this community in the future.
“For me, he’s a natural fit. He loves Whitehall, believes in kids, and is a strong advocate for our people in Whitehall to be the best they can be.”
When Van Wieren was made assistant superintendent last summer - at the time, he also took on athletic director responsibilities - he knew it could be a stepping stone to become a superintendent, preferably at Whitehall. McDowell’s retirement announcement last month - he is taking the position of executive director of the Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals’ Association - set the stage for Van Wieren to take his next step up the ladder.
“I’m excited for this opportunity for CJ,” McDowell said. “It’s a privilege to work with him over the years and help him in his journey toward leadership.”
Van Wieren, who grew up in Holland, graduated from Ferris State University in 2008 and earned a master’s from Grand Canyon University two years later, said when he and wife Lindsay moved to Whitehall early in his Viking teaching career, it was the best decision they’d ever made. Their three kids each attend Whitehall schools - all the more reason for Van Wieren to pour himself into the district.
“You have to really want what’s best for kids and an entire community if you’re going to step into one of these roles, because it’s not always easy, but it’s an opportunity to make a difference and to give back to a community, and then to produce kids that hopefully are contributors to this community in a positive way,” Van Wieren said. “I’m looking forward to this interim role and being able to try and show everyone that I can do it, and hopefully set us up for some long-term success.”
