COOPERSVILLE - Coopersville High School Principal Peter Bush has been hired to be Coloma Community Schools' new superintendent.
The Coloma Board of Education made the announcement after a special board meeting Sept. 29.
Bush is expected to take the job in the next few weeks after the salary negotiations are completed. Coloma is located 11 miles northeast of Benton Harbor and has approximately 1,800 students in four school buildings.
Coloma School Board Treasurer Robert Hirsch said while the district had 23 applicants for the opening, Bush quickly rose to the front of the list. "Pete indicated that he wants to become involved with the needs of our students, find out why the district is losing students, and what can be done to get them back," Hirsch said.
Coopersville Area Public School Superintendent Ron Veldman said he is happy for Bush, but conceded the timing of his departure will put a strain on the district. "The high school principal is such a critical role in the district," Veldman said. "I am happy for Pete, because I know this is something he has wanted for a long time. We encourage our staff to pursue their goals and becoming a superintendent has been a goal of Pete's."
The Coloma superintendent's position opened up this fall when former Coloma Superintendent Terry Boguth left this summer to return to Coldwater Community Schools to take over as that district's chief financial officer, the position she held before taking over in Coloma.
Bush, 45, has been with Coopersville Area Public Schools for a little more than eight years - first as an assistant principal and the last five as principal. "It certainly has been a whirlwind 24 hours for me," he said.
Veldman said he would take a couple of weeks to review the district's options to fill the high school vacancy.
Bush is the second principal to take another job this fall. Former East Elementary Principal Marie DeGroot left the district just before school started to take over a similar position at Jamestown Elementary School in Hudsonville. The school board opted to hire a retired principal to fill the position for the current school year.
Coopersville Middle School is also dealing with a temporary change in administration as the school's dean of students is off for an undetermined period of time on medical leave. Social studies teacher Randy Waldie has been promoted to fill in as dean of students and a long-term substitute has been hired to fill Waldie's position.