SchoolsThursday, October 29
Grand Rapids Public Schools picks Chicago educator Allison Tingwall as its next superintendent
The Good Day Grand Rapids team
If you've got a kid in GRPS, here's who's coming. The Board of Education voted Wednesday to hire Allison Tingwall as the next superintendent, pending contract negotiations. She's executive director of principal quality for Chicago Public Schools and earned her bachelor's degree at the University of Michigan, WOOD TV reports.
Tingwall was chosen over internal candidate Kelly Greene after a final day of district visits, community conversations and interviews. WWMT reports her current office aims to “identify, develop and retain strong school leaders.”
The superintendent search ran from February to a vote on Oct. 28
- Feb. 2026Board extends Superintendent Leadriane Roby's contract one additional year, through June 2027
- Aug.–Sept. 2026District holds focus groups, town halls and an online survey for community input
- Oct. 28Board votes to hire Tingwall, pending contract negotiations, after public interviews
- June 2027Roby's contract as superintendent runs through the end of the month
Sources: mlive, WOODTV.com, FOX 17, WWMT
“I am a Michigander at heart, and after 20 years with Chicago Public Schools, I am excited to return home.”
- Leadriane Roby stays on through June 2027 for the handoff
- Still to do: finalize Tingwall's contract with the district
- Tingwall's past job: principal of Curie Metropolitan High School
The search and Tingwall's résumé, by the numbers
- 20
- focus groups the district held in August and September
- 4
- in-person town halls, plus a virtual one
- More than 520
- schools covered by Tingwall's current office
- About 3,000
- students at Curie Metropolitan High School
Sources: mlive, WOODTV.com, FOX 17, WWMT
Sources: mlive, WOODTV.com, FOX 17, WWMT