Grandville — The Grandville Board of Education has selected John Philo, the district’s assistant superintendent of human resources, as its next superintendent.
The board voted to select Philo Tuesday evening with a unanimous vote of 6-0. Trustee Joe Steffes was absent, but expressed his support via a letter that board President Jason Heyboer read aloud.
Philo, who has served in his current role since 2018, was the only candidate interviewed for the position. This followed a selection process involving input from administrators, staff, parents and community members, including through an online survey and a series of structured in-person conversations.
Philo has spent 23 years in the district as a science teacher, assistant principal, Grandville Middle School principal and Grandville High School principal. He also has 20 years of experience as an ice hockey official with the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
“Grandville is in the fabric of who I am. I love the district and I want to see the district continue to grow and thrive and move into the next five to 10 years successfully,” he said.
Philo and the board are currently in the process of contract negotiations, with Philo expected to assume the position July 1, 2026. He is taking over for Superintendent Roger Bearup, who announced his retirement in January.
Noting he has a great team working with him, Philo said he feels ready to lead and continue ensuring Grandville is a “destination district.”
“I’m excited to continue to work on the curriculum lift we are doing around determining the essential standards we know our kids need to be able to meet,” he said, adding that part of that means ensuring support is in place for students to meet those standards.
Philo said a priority in his first year is beginning work on an update of the district’s five-year-old strategic plan, determining what the community feels are goals for the next five to 10 years.
He said he is thankful for the guidance Bearup has provided him over the years.
“I want to express gratitude for the community, our teachers, support staff and Board of Ed for their belief in my ability to lead the district,” he said. “(Bearup) has been a mentor to me and he is going to be deeply missed. He helped build skills in me to lead the district.”
Heyboer said in a press release that Philo’s longevity and leadership in Grandville makes him the right fit.
“John’s student-first leadership style, his long-standing commitment to our community, and his proven ability to build trust across all stakeholders makes us confident in his selection,” he stated. “With his 13 years of administration service to Grandville, he knows our students, staff, and community, and we know him, and he understands the expectation of educational excellence we all have. We are excited for the future of Grandville Public Schools under his leadership.”
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