Kent ISD — Like many educators, Jenny Fee knew the intermediate school districts she worked with to be sources of professional development and information on curriculum and instruction.
Now, as Kent ISD’s new assistant superintendent of instructional services, Fee sees an ISD as much more.
“I’ve been amazed at the depth and breadth of the organization, and all that it does for the locals and in the partnerships with the community,” she said. “So it’s fun to kind of get this inside look, and I’m sure that understanding is just going to grow over time, but I’m still just absorbing and listening.”
Kent ISD Superintendent Ron Gorman called Fee a “tremendous addition.”
“Her instructional knowledge and the many years she served students and faculty as a local district administrator have more than equipped her for her new role,” Gorman said. “We are honored to have her on our team.”
Fee will work with early childhood programs, Great Start Readiness Program, Bright Beginnings and Great Start to Quality Resource Center; the teaching and learning department; and research and continuous development, which includes the MI Student Voice survey.
Fee said she felt the Kent ISD assistant superintendent position would be “a really good fit” in that it tapped into many of her experiences and skills, especially in curriculum and instruction, over her last 25-plus years in education.
“Ultimately, I want the work that we do here to support our districts in the way that they need,” she said. “There’s 20 different districts in Kent County, and each one is unique. … So my hope is to listen to what each district needs, to understand the context of each district and (to) be able to deliver services that meet their individual needs versus one big solution for all that probably would not meet the needs of anyone.”
The Early Years
Fee is a Kent County native and 1987 graduate of East Grand Rapids Public Schools, where snow days are rare.
“I believe there were two snow days,” she recalled. “One was in ’78, and then the other was an ice storm. We went ice skating on the streets.”
She described herself as a “little rascal” in elementary and middle school, but said she focused in high school, putting time and energy into her subjects.
But she can remember why she left advertising and market research and entered the field of education: “… going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark in Chicago (where she had moved for work) and not talking to very many people during the day.”
She realized “I’m not cut out for this. There’s not enough people.
“So then I tried to think about, ‘What should I be doing?’”
Rethinking the Future
While a student at the University of Michigan, where she would earn a bachelor’s degree in economics, Fee said she kind of “fell into business” because she wasn’t certain what she wanted to do for a career, “and business seemed broad enough that it could be applied to many different possibilities.”
Once she realized cubicle life wasn’t for her, Fee said she reflected on her own educational experiences: the role educators had in her life, the lively and engaging environment, how she felt safe and comfortable in school settings and could be and do her best.
“Specifically, I remember my high school math teacher, Mr. (Ken) Sink,” Fee said. “He was skilled at breaking down complex topics so that his students could easily grasp concepts. He cared so much for his students and brought out the best in them.
“Two years ago, I had the honor to reconnect with Mr. Sink and thank him for his positive impact on me, and I know, many others.”
Finding Her Passion
Fee returned to U-M and earned a master’s in education. Several years later, she earned a doctorate in educational leadership and administration from Michigan State University.
She started her teaching career in Florida, where they had moved for her husband, Michael’s job, and then to Colorado. When they came back to West Michigan to be closer to family, Fee returned to her alma mater as a middle school social studies teacher. All three of her children attended East Grand Rapids High School and U-M.
Over her 22-year tenure at EGRPS, she also was assistant principal and principal of the high school, then assistant superintendent of instruction. She was hired as superintendent of St. Joseph Public Schools, where she had been for the last three years.
Looking back on her career journey, Fee said she believes that being in the business world helped her to learn about herself and guided her toward her true passion.
“I realized the path I chose in college wasn’t the path that I wanted to do, and (I’m) so glad I made the change,” she said.
Read more from Kent ISD:
• Kent ISD’s new superintendent plans to keep the ‘good momentum’ going
• Educators and business leaders team up to help build school-to-work pipeline
