Cedar Springs — Following a monthslong search process, Cedar Springs Public Schools has chosen its next superintendent.
The board of education, during a special meeting on Monday, voted unanimously to extend the job offer to Randy Barton, currently the assistant superintendent of Mason Public Schools. The offer is contingent upon a successful contract negotiation, which is expected to get underway soon.
The board made the decision after a three-hour second round of interviews during which Barton and fellow finalist Ryan Biller, superintendent of Tri County Area Schools, presented on how they’ve used data to drive decision-making in their respective districts, and fielded questions from trustees.
Barton is primed to replace current Cedar Springs Superintendent Scott Smith, who this summer announced his plans to retire after eight years with the district.
‘I think (Barton) has the right culture for us.’
— CSPS Board Vice President Mistie Bowser
Wait, Listen and Learn
Ahead of the board meeting, Barton, who had family and former colleagues in the crowd supporting him during the interview, told SNN that Cedar Springs appeals to him for a variety of reasons. For one thing, the district’s location aligns geographically with a plan he and his family have to relocate to West Michigan.
“It’s also the same size as the district I currently work in, and there’s a lot of familiarity between Cedar Springs and Mason that’s comforting to me,” Barton said. “I think that I’ll be able to come in and add some strength to a district that’s already doing really well.”
He said the Cedar Springs community is “large enough to provide resources and supports to students, and still small enough so people know each other’s names and are able to be personable and build relationships,” adding that he sees relationships as the most important part of the job.
The fact that the district’s facilities are “top-notch” was also a draw, Barton said.
Barton stressed that he wouldn’t seek to make any major changes right away; rather, he said he’d take time to get to know the district.
“I’m not a magic bullet, and Cedar Springs isn’t broken,” he told the board, adding that his priority would be to “wait, listen, get to know people (and) get to know the systems.”
It was a packed day for Barton and Biller, who arrived in the district around 1 p.m. to tour facilities and chat with students, staff and administrators. They later split up for Q&A sessions with community members and with the district’s staff. Feedback from the sessions was sent along to the board to help guide the night’s decision.
After the finalists gave their presentations to the board, Mark Dobias, a consultant with the Michigan Association of School Boards who facilitated the superintendent search, asked trustees to voice any strengths or weaknesses they believed the candidates had.
They particularly praised Barton’s passion for building relationships, as well as his philosophy on conflict, which he said is inevitable in any organization but should be viewed as an opportunity for growth and connection.
The board also used results of a public survey, which launched in July following Smith’s retirement announcement, to help determine what characteristics the community would like to see in their next superintendent.
Board President Heidi Reed made the motion to extend the job offer to Barton, which was supported by Secretary April Patin and carried by the rest of the trustees.
Next Steps
Vice President Mistie Bowser told SNN that even though the choice was a tough one, the board was confident in its pick.
“Tonight was a hard decision, but we got a lot of feedback from the community, a lot of feedback from the staff, and then also a lot of reference-checking on our own, and I just feel really confident. I really do. I think (Barton) has the right culture for us,” Bowser said.
Reed added: “He’ll be a good fit.”
Contract negotiations will be led by Board Treasurer Trent Gilmore and trustee Matt Shoffner, which the board approved at Reed’s recommendation.
The task would typically fall to the board president, but since Reed is not seeking another term, she won’t be working with Barton. Reed said Gilmore and Shoffner are both experienced trustees whose names will not appear on the November ballot, eliminating any concern about conflicts of interest.
Applications for the position were accepted between Aug. 25 and Sept. 29, and a total of 24 candidates applied. Smith’s last day will be Dec. 31, and Barton is expected to start on Jan. 1, 2027.
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