Dr. Robert Shaner, the Superintendent of Rochester Community School District (pictured above), was recently named the 2020 Michigan Superintendent of the Year by the Michigan Association of Superintendents and Administrators.
Shaner has worked as the superintendent of the Rochester Community School district since 2013. He earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership from Oakland University and previously worked for Sterling Heights High School, Grissom Middle School and the Warren Consolidated School District.
Prior to his career in education, Shaner served in the U.S. Marine Corps and worked as a police officer in both the St. Clair Shores and Troy Police Departments.
“Dr. Shaner has proved himself to be an impeccable leader for Rochester Community Schools, and I am honored to give him the award of Michigan Superintendent of the Year,” said MASA Executive Director Chris Wigent in a statement. “With a focus on bridging the diversity, equity and inclusion gap, Dr. Shaner is committed to his philosophy: ‘All Means All.’ Under his leadership, the district created a strategic plan to ensure that all students and staff have a high degree of cultural awareness to make sure every person who comes into the district feels welcome.”
With Shaner’s guidance, the Rochester Community School District created a social-emotional task force to detail with issues like opioid addiction and depression as part of a larger initiative to focus on community health and well-being. He also created an enhanced budgeting process for the district, which earned the Association of School Business Official’s Meritorious Budget Award for two years in a row.
“Dr. Shaner continually demonstrates the courage to improve regional cooperation, progress, and support of public education. In the past year, he has worked relentlessly to ensure K-12 education has a stronger voice in high-level conversations with business executives, community leaders and lawmakers, from Lansing and Detroit to Mackinac Island and beyond,” said staff, students and local leaders in their nomination of Shaner. “By showcasing what is right about public education, Dr. Shaner has flipped the narrative to build an understanding of the important benefits of investing in the children of our district and our state.”
As the 2020 Michigan honoree, Shaner is also now eligible to compete in the national Superintendent of the Year Award given out by the American Association of School Administrators, which will be announced in February.
Shaner will be recognized by MASA in January at its 2020 Midwinter Conference in Detroit.
– – –
Jordyn Pair is a reporter with Battleground State News and The Michigan Star. Follow her on Twitter at @JordynPair. Email her at [email protected].
Photo “Dr. Robert Shaner” by Rochester Community Schools.
