News Summary
Principal Roselyn Charles-Maher of Sibley Elementary has announced her resignation from Grand Rapids Public Schools after 28 years, citing inadequate compensation. Her departure has caused emotional reactions within the community, highlighting broader issues of pay and staffing shortages faced by the district. Charles-Maher will join Forest Hills Public Schools, where salaries are more competitive. The decision raises concerns about filling leadership roles that reflect the diverse student population at Sibley Elementary.
Grand Rapids – Principal Roselyn Charles-Maher of Sibley Elementary School has announced her departure from the Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS) after a dedicated 28 years in the district. Her resignation has generated a wave of emotional reactions among parents, students, and staff, who describe her exit as a significant loss for the school community.
Charles-Maher has served as the principal of Sibley Elementary since 2016 and expressed that her tenure at GRPS has felt like spending “half her life” dedicated to the education of students. She cited inadequate compensation as a primary reason for her departure, noting that GRPS was not able to present a competitive wage or retirement benefits for her role. Her decision was influenced by ongoing salary discussions in the district, which currently faces budget constraints.
The Grand Rapids Education Association (GREA) has been advocating for a 7.5% pay increase for teachers, while GRPS has offered a markedly lower raise of 1.5%. The current contract for teachers expired on June 30, 2023, leaving many educators concerned about their financial futures. In comparison, the average pay for teachers in GRPS has been reported at $60,816 for the 2023-24 school year—making it the lowest compensation within the Kent Intermediate School District (ISD).
Charles-Maher’s departure highlights broader leadership issues within GRPS, as two additional educators also recently announced their resignations due to staffing shortages and heavy workloads. Concern over these issues was echoed in public comments made during a recent Board of Education meeting, where numerous community members pleaded for attention to the future hiring of school leaders.
Although maintaining diversity is of utmost importance to the Sibley Elementary community, challenges persist. The school has a significant Hispanic/Latino demographic, with 42.21% of its students identifying as such. Despite these demographics, the community school coordinator acknowledged that she is the only non-teaching staff member who speaks Spanish, raising concerns about the need for bilingual candidates in future hiring processes.
In her new role, Charles-Maher will join Forest Hills Public Schools, where the average teacher salary is considerably higher at $79,847. This transition underlines the ongoing discrepancies in compensation within public education in the region. Additionally, her assistant principal, Riley Sunday, is also leaving GRPS, and her position has already been posted as open since early July.
At the Board of Education meeting, parents voiced their concerns regarding how the district plans to fill the vacant roles of both Charles-Maher and Sunday. Many stressed the need for new hires who reflect the community’s linguistic and cultural diversity, citing the bilingual capabilities of Charles-Maher as a key factor in connecting with families.
Charles-Maher has been recognized beyond her role at Sibley Elementary, including being selected as a Fulbright Leaders for Global Schools program award recipient. Her career has consistently focused on supporting diverse student populations during her more than two-decade tenure as a teacher at various high schools within the GRPS district.
As the community grapples with the losses of Charles-Maher and other teachers, many were brought to tears while sharing their gratitude during public comments. Reflecting on her impact on students and families, parents and peers expressed their hope that future recruitment for school leaders would prioritize community needs, emphasizing involvement from both parents and staff in the hiring process.
The departures of Charles-Maher and Sunday signal significant transitions for Sibley Elementary and the broader GRPS community, highlighting the critical need for focused recruitment efforts that reflect the diverse and vibrant community served by the school.
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Additional Resources
- MLive: 3 Takeaways from Tremendous Loss of Grand Rapids Principal
- Google Search: Grand Rapids Principal Roselyn Charles-Maher
- MLive: Tremendous Loss as Grand Rapids Principal Departs
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Public Education
- WZZM: Northview High School Principal Resignation
- Google News: Grand Rapids Education Association
- Business Insurance: Acrisure Unit Sues Alliant Over Principal’s Departure
- Google Scholar: Educational Leadership
