ROCKFORD, Mich. — Michael Shibler, 74, is retiring after 54 years as an educator and 33 years as the Rockford Public Schools superintendent.
“Because my years serving the Rockford Public Schools and community have been the most rewarding of my career, it is bittersweet that I submit to you my intent to retire,” Shibler said in a memo to the Rockford Board of Education.
His retirement will begin Dec. 31, 2021. Shibler said he planned to retire prior to the pandemic but felt compelled to carry out his duties for the Rockford community during the uncertain times. His priority was returning the students and staff in-person for the 2020-21 schoolyear, he reports.
“I believe, together, we succeeded,” he wrote. “I have never been more confident in the direction our district is moving and the leaders we have in place to make it happen. This makes me feel very comfortable with my decision to retire.”
Shibler added that the lifting of COVID-19 safety restrictions this week leaves him hopeful that the 2021-22 schoolyear will be similar to that of a time pre-pandemic.
Shibler will still oversee the opening of the 2021-22 schoolyear. He also plans to facilitate the district’s eleventh strategic plans of improvement, RAMS XI, which will be implemented this summer pending Board approval.
In his retirement, Shibler hopes to travel, spend more time with loved ones and pursue other personal interests. Flexibility in schedule is an aspect of retirement he said he's looking forward to.
He stated that in his role as superintendent, “the demands on my time are many.”
Still, Shibler plans to remain a part of the Rockford community.
“Rockford has been a huge part of my life and will always be a part of who I am,” he wrote.
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