Thornapple Kellogg — In the final weeks of 2024, Thornapple Kellogg students and staff prepare for finals and a two-week-long holiday break, while Superintendent Craig McCarthy prepares for retirement.
McCarthy recently announced his decision to retire on Dec. 31, after serving six and a half years in administrative roles for the district.
He said it was a difficult decision, but that he’s looking forward to “transitioning into the next phase of my journey” and spending more time with his wife, Kathy, and their family in the new year.
“My wife has a vacation planned for us after the holidays and then it’s a matter of trying to determine for myself what I want to do,” McCarthy said. “I’m going to learn how to be retired … and I’m not going to come back to 600 emails after my vacation.”
‘I will miss the people and the kids walking into a building, that energy they bring each day.’
— retiring Superintendent Craig McCarthy
At its Nov. 11 meeting, the Board of Education approved a contract with retired TK Superintendent Tom Enslen to serve as interim superintendent starting Jan. 1.
McCarthy transitioned from interim to the district’s superintendent in January 2022, after previously serving as assistant superintendent for three years.
Prior to TK, McCarthy worked for Cadillac Area Schools as the director of business operations, served nine years as assistant superintendent for Northview Public Schools, and for 14 years taught business service technologies at Kent Career Tech Center.
A graduate of the former Creston High School in Grand Rapids Public Schools, he now has over 30 years of experience in education and is ready to enter the next chapter of his life.
SNN recently sat down with McCarthy at TK’s festively decorated administration building to talk about the highlights of his tenure and reflect on what he’ll miss most about the district.
What are some highlights from your time as superintendent? “A ton of big things that stand out. We were able to pass a $42.8 million bond in 2019, added on to three of the elementary buildings, built a brand new state-of-the-art early childhood center in 2022 and added AC to our buildings, which is fantastic. On top of that, we wrote the strategic plan that will carry us through to 2028 and developed professional learning communities for our staff. They’ve really taken to it and it’s work, but it’s the right work we’re doing for the kids.
“We also brought back the Future Farmers of America program after 50+ years and it’s really taken on a life of its own. I have to give credit to TKHS Principal Tony Peterson for bringing that back to our schools.”
What were some of the challenges you faced and overcame? “The COVID-19 pandemic was a challenge, but I think everyone in the district rose to the challenge. We created an online learning plan, spearheaded by our curriculum department, and had over 650 kids enrolled in online school. Collectively, we were able to meet the needs of the kids. … We work well together as a team in this district and we have great relationships between our teachers, support staff, administrators and the community.”
How has public education changed during your career? “The movement from paper to computers and technology. It’s interesting because technology is a tool and doesn’t replace teachers, but it allows us to have more information at our fingertips and conduct more in-depth research. I was in accounting before I got into education, when the internet was just developing. The ability to communicate so quickly with people (has changed.) Technology and times change (but) kids’ wants and needs aren’t a whole lot different.”
What lessons have students taught you? “Patience, humor and fun are the three things that come to mind. (Students) are really just small people and they want the same things that adults want. They have a unique perspective on things, they want to know the ‘why’ and need our patience and understanding. You have to offer grace and just like adults, students are living through things that staff and friends might not know about.”
What will you miss most about serving TK schools? “I will miss the people and the kids walking into a building, that energy they bring each day. I’ll miss the staff and their humor; they’re willing to laugh with you and are passionate for education and presenting opportunities for kids to learn and develop. … There haven’t been times when I didn’t want to come into work. We have a tremendous staff; our community is so involved; organizations in the area are so supportive and always trying to do things for the students and parents. TK has been a great place to end my career and I feel like I’m leaving on a high note.”
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