Yale retains school superintendent
YALE — Yale Superintendent Kurt Sutton isn’t going anywhere.
Yale’s top administrator applied for the same position with the Romeo school district and made it through two rounds of interviews before a final decision was made last week. The Romeo school district selected former Anchor Bay Superintendent Joseph McDonald.
“I’m a man of faith,” Sutton said last week after the final decision was made. “If God wanted me there, that’s where I’d be. It wasn’t the right time, so I am staying at Yale and am very happy about that. I love Yale, the community and all of the good things our district is doing. We have a great school system and will move forward with a lot of things that we have going on.”
Sutton has held the Yale position since coming to the district in 2021.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Alma College and began his career in the classroom, teaching elementary and middle school students at White Cloud Community Schools, then Richmond Community Schools, where he also coached basketball. He moved into building administration at Richmond before serving as principal of Armada Area Schools for nearly 15 years.
Under his leadership at Yale, two of the three elementary schools have been named National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education and M-STEP scores rank at the top of St. Clair County.
“I want people to know that I am very happy here — honestly,” Sutton said. “A job hunter sought me out and made me aware of Romeo. Like anyone else looking to advance their career, I had to consider the position to better myself and take care of my family, so I applied.
“It went very well, I enjoyed the experience and Romeo is a fine district doing some innovative things. But so is Yale, and I am thrilled to be here. We have a great staff, top to bottom, and wonderful students who work hard in the classroom. I am looking forward to another school year here.”
The district is faced with several major topics on its docket — none larger than the upcoming bond vote this fall.
“It’s important that we focus on that, while still preparing for the new school year,” Sutton said. “We need to get information out to the voters and show them what we have come up with. Aside from the bond, we need to get a few more staff hired before the year starts and we are taking Requests for Proposals on land the school owns. The board is looking at selling off the property (in Brockway Township near the intersection of M-136). So, it’s a very busy time.”
Sutton said he deeply appreciated the support of everyone while going through the interview process.
“I was very open with the board and they were very supportive of me. They knew it was not a case of me not being unhappy here and wanting to leave at all. It was not kept secret from them. I really do appreciate the support from them, the staff and the community.”
Yale students return to the classroom in late August, prior to the Labor Day weekend.
