Grandville — Roger Bearup hasn’t changed his mind about retiring.
Even so, he said, the end of the school year — his last as superintendent of Grandville Public Schools — snuck up on him.
“You know, you’re wrapping up a year and it’s business as usual, and then you catch yourself going, ‘Oh, this is the last time I’m going to do this,’ and it gets kind of emotional,” said Bearup, who is retiring tomorrow, June 30, after 11 years leading the district.
“(Retirement) is a new adventure, so it’s exciting, but there are a lot of ‘lasts’ happening that hit me in strange ways. We had a cabinet meeting with our district administration and they’re all talking about next year and I’m just kind of sitting there, like…” he said, feigning a shrug.
The landscape of Grandville Public Schools has undergone significant changes since Bearup took the helm in 2015. Besides a new Early Childhood Center, which opened in 2020, construction of a brand-new middle school, which opened in 2023, paved the way for a complete restructuring of middle-level grades. After a renovation of the school building on Wilson Avenue, the district opened Oakestown Intermediate School, moving grades 5 and 6 out of the elementary schools and into a building of their own.
There’s been notable additions to classroom and extracurricular offerings, too, including a first of its kind, 60,000-square-foot robotics competition center, which hosts local robotics and LEGO League tournaments as well as state and regional competitions, and the Weller Auto Tech Center, a full-service automotive facility where high school students can earn certifications to jump-start their careers.
In looking at his time in Grandville, Bearup said he’s most proud of “the amazing things we’ve done together — the systems we’ve put in place, the facilities, all the great opportunities for kids. We have an MTSS (multi-tiered system of support) system that I think is so robust.
“It’s so neat to be able to look back and see that we’ve really done some amazing things for our kids, together with our community. I just look at that and go, wow, look what we did.”
‘One of (Bearup’s) strengths is that he sees potential in the people around him and does his best to empower them to do their best, to be their best selves, in whatever position they’re in.’
— Sally VanEck, GPS Board of Education secretary
‘Relationship-focused’
And yet, when asked to describe Bearup’s impact on the Grandville community, most staff and community members bypassed building projects to focus on one thing: relationships.
“(Bearup) has always been relationship-focused — whether it’s students, staff, people in the community — and the importance of that,” said Heather Roszkowski, assistant superintendent of business services. “It has been tied right to his leadership, and for me, that’s huge.”
Roszkowski has known Bearup since she was in fourth grade; her father, then a principal in Kent City Community Schools, hired Bearup for his first teaching job more than 30 years ago. When their paths crossed again, this time in Grandville’s administration building, she was surprised that the new superintendent remembered her.
“That means a lot, you know? But he’s just like that,” she said. “My son plays baseball for Caledonia and (Bearup) has come to games. … He just really lives that relationship piece. At work, you know he really believes in us — he calls us the experts in our field. He wants the board to hear from us. He’s just one of a kind.”
That feeling was echoed by James Kamoli, a district custodian, who didn’t know Bearup’s position when he first started working at Central Elementary.
“Every time, this man would pass me and say thank you for the work I did — always thank you, thank you,” he said. Eventually, he was curious enough to ask a colleague who the man was.
“When they tell me that is the boss for the school, the superintendent, I thought maybe I should have lowered myself, because he is a big man,” Kamoli said. “But no, that is his nature. He fits everywhere. … Now we got to know each other, and I can talk to him not like a boss, but as a friend. He doesn’t have a class; he’s a man of everybody.”
District administrators also highlighted the way Bearup was able to connect with parents. He is a parent of two, but having a daughter with special needs gave him a level of empathy and connection that set him apart, said Student Services Director Caroline Ernst.
“What I have appreciated about Roger is his commitment to every single student. Some people say that, but Roger really means it,” Ernst said. “It doesn’t matter what the situation is, no matter how tough, the commitment is the same. He doesn’t waver on it.”
Ernst has been a part of many meetings with Bearup and Grandville parents to discuss creating an Individualized Education Program for their children. She said his perspective from both sides of the table — as educator and parent — has been invaluable to a process that can be tricky to navigate.
“When he shares his story (about his daughter) and his time going to IEP meetings, that parent knows that he knows where they’re coming from, and that has been so important,” Ernst said. “Even if the situation is still hard, even if we still don’t agree, that understanding goes a long way.”
‘An amazing journey’
As he prepares to say goodbye, Bearup said he’ll miss the people in GPS the most.
“I know it’s time (to retire), but when I think about not seeing everyone day in and day out like I do now, I think that will be hard,” he said.
He’s handing over his responsibilities to John Philo, Grandville’s current assistant superintendent of human resources, who was appointed the next superintendent back in March. Philo has 23 years of experience in the district as a teacher, principal and administrator.
Bearup has shared some of his thoughts about the district’s future with its next leader, but said he’s fully prepared to walk away and “not say a whole lot about it.” Philo, he said, is ready for the task.
“It’s a little easier to walk away knowing the team is still intact, and they’re just going to keep taking Grandville to another level,” Bearup said. “I know that’s how it’s going to go. They’re going to be awesome. So, I’m excited about that.”
He and his wife, Kim, plan to take the month of July to “decompress, visit places, visit people and just have fun,” he said. But after that? Well, don’t expect him — or his commitment to the community — to disappear.
“I’ll be doing something servicing people, because that’s what I love to do,” he said. “Hopefully something attached to helping schools. You’ll see me doing something.”
In a way, he said, he almost can’t believe that he served as superintendent for more than a decade.
“When I came here, the average superintendent (tenure) was like two or three years, and I thought, ‘If I can be here for five years and then retire, that’d be awesome,’” Bearup recalled. “And now it’s been 11 years. That is really because of the people — the amazing teachers, administrators, community…they’ve been awesome. It’s been an amazing journey.”
Community Appreciation
School News Network traveled across Grandville Public Schools — and across the county — to ask people about Roger Bearup’s impact and legacy as superintendent. Read their responses below:
Joel Breazeale
Grandville High School dean of students; hockey and cross country coach
“The first thing I think of with Roger is relationships. I think Roger put relationships first: trying to know people, to see them, to hear them and to hear where they’re at and where they’re coming from. I think that was huge. And his accessibility was so impressive for a leader in such a large school district. I really admire his approachability.”
Sally VanEck
GPS Board of Education secretary
“One word that comes to my mind about Roger is ‘empowering.’ One of his strengths is that he sees potential in the people around him and does his best to empower them to do their best, to be their best selves, in whatever position they’re in … And he does it with compassion and kindness and a great sense of humor. I think that’s a great legacy to leave, and we’re seeing the benefits of that with our new superintendent. Roger really took John (Philo) under his wing and nurtured him to a place of leadership and skills that will continue to serve us well, and I’m very appreciative of that work.”
Karen Zimmer
GPS parent; Odyssey of the Mind coordinator
“(Bearup) has really been dedicated to innovative thinking, STEAM programs and things like that. … When my fourth child was in Odyssey of the Mind, they qualified for Worlds and we didn’t know how we were going to pay for it, and (Bearup) donated some money. He told us, ‘Don’t worry about it; you guys are going.’ And so I’ve always remembered that — that was awesome. It really feels like he’s always been dedicated to having kids have those experiences — he wanted them to understand the work that goes into it and maybe pursue something like that later on in life.”
Ron Denning
Grandville High School vocational education teacher; Grandville Education Association treasurer
“One of the things Roger really set as a norm in the district, that everyone in leadership roles has taken on as a result, is not just the importance of college-bound students, but the importance of career-bound students — those going into the skilled trades. He really put as much focus on that as one would (for) the college option, and a lot of districts are not that way. … That perspective has trickled down to the rest of district leadership and I’ve really, really appreciated that.
“Also, as one of the officers for the Grandville Education Association, I’ve appreciated the great working relationship we have between the union and the district, and I think, as a true leader, he’s played a large part in that. … He shows us understanding and respect. I see him trying to understand things from our perspective. We all have the same goal — we want kids to have the best education possible.”
Ron Gorman
Kent ISD superintendent
“Roger is a servant leader. He practices what he preaches. Every single day, he’s out to make students better (and) staff better. He’s a thought partner. He’s one of the kindest men I ever met. He is incredibly competent, and he loves Grandville schools — he really does. And I know he has set his successor up for success. Roger will be missed, but I assume — I know — he’ll still be pretty connected to this community.”
Kate Breazeale
Grandville Middle School athletic secretary
“I have appreciated his openness and him always being willing to listen to you, and I feel like that is across the board — I hear that same thing from many, many, many people. … He comes in and visits us in our schools and makes himself known, which has been another blessing. He gives good hugs; he’s a great guy.”
John Wondergem
West Elementary School principal
“Grandville Public Schools has always been incredible for students, staff and families, but Roger’s leadership has taken this excellence to new heights across a multitude of sectors. This has been because Roger is a leader who has a clear vision for success, but trusts and relies on the expertise of others around him and within the community to ensure the best decisions are made on behalf of student and community success.”
Kevin Polston
Kentwood Public Schools superintendent
“Roger is a servant leader, and he really cares deeply about the community. He’s always been a listening ear to the community and responsive to what their needs are. He demonstrates that not just with his words, but with his actions. He’s also a leader of leaders. He’s someone that I know many of us as superintendents have counted on as a trusted colleague — someone we look to for advice, guidance, support; he always answers the call. He’s going to be deeply missed, but we’re really excited for what his next chapter brings.”
Alexis Kroodsma
Grandville Education Center GSRP teacher; GPS parent
“I really appreciated his presence in the district. He would always make stops in our building to say hello and check in on how us teachers were doing, and just bring joy. And when we had snow days, he’d do a little song and dance to make the announcement and that kind of connected everybody in the fun, so I really enjoyed that. … I think he set really good leadership skills and principles in place in the district. We’re going to miss him. We’ve really appreciated all the time he’s put in to do whatever the district needs and to be a strong leader.”
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