Retirement Will Stick Second Time Around for Plymouth-Canton Superintendent

At the end of the month, Jeremy Hughes will finish his two-year stint as Plymouth-Canton Community Schools' interim superintendent as he begins his second retirement. 

Hughes came out of retirement in 2011 to take the reigns of the district after the Board of Education voted not to renew the contract of then Superintendent Craig Fiegel, who was in his final year of a three-year contract.

Hughes has had a long career in education, as a high school Latin and English teacher and as the superintendent of Saginaw Township, Haslett and Dearborn Public Schools. He also spent five years as the deputy superintendent and cheif academic officer at the Michigan Department of Education before retiring the first time.

"I missed the excitement of working in the district office and I missed the excitement of being a superintendent," Hughes said. "And I loved education, I just couldn't stay away from it."

Hughes joked that he did think this would be a shorter job when he was named interim superintendent. 

"I think it was good for me and for the district," he said. "When I came here the district was kind of in the midst of some turmoil. Things have calmed down and become very peaceful. I was really a bridge, a bridge to a new superintendent."

Michael Meissen will replace Hughes as Plymouth-Canton's Superintendent starting July 1. Meissen's contract runs through June 30, 2016.

Hughes said he has no big plans for his retirement, other than to spend time with his family and get back to playing the Irish fiddle.

"I used to play with group of Irish musicians in town and I'm anxioius to get back to that," he said. "I think this is it, I will not accept any new jobs."

Hughes said his most memorable moment the past two years was helping to pass the 2013 bond because it is the thing that will impact the students, teachers and curriculum the most.

But he said he will miss the people in the district the most.

"The people here are such creative people - the teachers and administrators are fantastic," he said. "In spite of pretty small income here, we're at the bottom of the list of schools in terms of state funding, they've done so much with the funds that have been available. It's just been a pleasure working with them."

The central office staff held a farewell breakfast a few weeks ago and Hughes said his wife asked him if he was going to have to give a speech and tell everyone that this is the best public school district he's ever worked in.

"I said, 'I don't know, why did you ask me that?,'" Hughes said. "And she said, 'because that's what you've told the last three districts!' They just keep getting better."

Plymouth Township resident Denise Zander was just one of a handful of district parents that thanked Hughes for everything he has done.

"I could tell from our first meeting that this wasn't a resume-filler, your resume pretty much spoke for itself," she said. "You really didn't need to be here. Your passion for education and students just spoke volumes in just that first meeting. You were here because you wanted something better for Plymouth-Canton..... You spearheaded so many initiatives that will make a difference in the lives of our children for the rest of their lives. You may have only been here for two years, but  your legacy on the future of this district will be here forever."

Hughes' advice for Meissen as he comes into Plymouth-Canton is not to come into the district with any preconceived ideas of what needs to be done.

"Just settle in, take stock, listen to people, talk, survey the landscape and get to know the district before making any major decisions," he said.