New Plymouth-Canton Superintendent Has Education in His Genes

Growing up with a teacher for a father and a mother who was a school secretary, education was a way of life for Plymouth-Canton's new Superintendent Michael Meissen. 

In fact, all of Meissen's siblings also made education their chosen profession. 
Education. 

"Teaching has been the core of what I know because I'm a second-generation educator," Meissen said. "I really think helping students develop into successful young adults and have an appreciation for life long learning is a pretty important and noble profession."

Meissen has served in public education for more than 30 years as a classroom teacher, guidance counselor, coach, athletic director, a principal and school superintendent.

In fact, he served as principal in the high school where is father taught and saw all three of his children graduate. 

"I think it's unique to be so tied into a school because you went to school there, your wife went to school there, your father used to teach there, and your own kids went to school there," he said. "So it was a way of life."

New job, new state

Meissen joins Plymouth-Canton from Milwaukee Public Schools in Wisconsin, where he served as the District Improvement / School Improvement and Student Achievement Supervisor.

"I've had superintendent experience in the past and I was impressed by the reputation of the schools, the commitment of the community towards a history of support for high quality schools and my sense that the Board of Education was looking to become even better than we've come to expect and enjoy about the PC School district," Meissen said.

Meissen's contract with Plymouth-Canton Schools began on July 1 and goes to June 30, 2016. Meissen will earn $212,500 per year, plus benefits. 

Meissen, who recently moved to Canton, said he is getting settled, trying to unpack, de-clutter and get organized - in more ways than one. 

"I think when you're new to a school district, you are trying to see if the work that we do is aligned in a K-12 way," he said. "Initially, in the first 90 days, it's important to develop good relationships with the Board of Education, the administration team, the faculty and staff, the parents, students, civic leaders, general community members. And in a short time, I've tried to have sessions where I was able to listen, establish some of their thoughts about where we're at as a school district and where we need to go."

Meissen said he also wants to conduct system assessments in areas such as academics, targeting student achievement, school security and classroom safety and making sure the district is operating in a fiscally responsible way, to name a few. 

All of that is in addition to keeping the district on track with the timeline to implement the four different area upgrades in the bond issue recently passed by voters. 

Meissen said the bond passing was another appealing factor in taking the superintendent job with the district..

"I think it's really exciting," he said. "There was a lot of work that went into the planning and now that it has been approved, we're really busy making sure that the implementation of the proposed plans are successful and effective... I think the four areas (transportation, new middle school, technology and capital improvements) are reflective of the commitment of the community within the school district around providing the best opportunities possible for our children."

Meissen can be reached at 734-416-3048 michael.meissen@pccsmail.net