3/15/22: Policy, Advocacy, Legislation, Activism
Presenters:
Dr. Sheryl Kennedy
Dr. Scott Koenigsknecht
Teri Rink
Dr. Sheryl Kennedy, Former public school educator, past MI State Representative, and current MDE Legislative Liaison.
Dr. Sheryl Kennedy is entering her 33rd year in public education having served as a public school teacher, administrator, and current university lecturer. Over those 33 years, Sheryl served 22 of them as a local teacher before becoming an administrator in the Birmingham and Walled Lake School Districts. Under her leadership, she led her schools to be State and National Schools of Character and moved her diverse, at-risk school to a place of academic success. Sheryl received her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Oakland University in 2012, and her research regarding growing teacher and organizational efficacy is widely cited.
Put most simply, Sheryl Kennedy values public education as the great equalizer of society. As such, she decided to run for public office in 2018 as a State Representative to be a voice at the table as these policies were being developed. Sheryl served in the Michigan State House of Representatives on the Appropriations Committee until 2020 and is currently the Legislative Liaison for the Michigan Department of Education. Sheryl was also appointed to Governor Whitmer’s COVID 19 Return to Learn Advisory Council. and the State Officers Compensation Commission.
Dr. Scott Koenigsknecht, Deputy Superintendent, P-20 System and Student Transitions
Dr. Scott Koenigsknecht joined the Michigan Department of Education as the Deputy Superintendent of the P-20 System and Student Transitions Division on August 1, 2018. He has over twenty-five years of experience in education, 11 years as an Intermediate School District Superintendent.
Dr. K. served 3 years at Ingham ISD prior to his time as the superintendent of Montcalm ISD for over 8 years. He is experienced in providing educational leadership in general education, special education, career and technical education, technology, curriculum, school improvement, and is active with the legislature.
Dr. K., as he is most commonly known, attended Central Michigan University, where he received his bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees. He has earned several academic achievements including the honor of Phi Kappa Phi, which is CMU's highest Honor Society recognizing superior scholarship.
Dr. K. was appointed by the State Board of Education to the Special Education Advisory Council from 2010-2014. In 2011, he was appointed by Governor Snyder to serve on the Michigan Public School Employee Retirement System's Board of Directors and is currently chairman. In October 2015, Dr. K. was asked to participate on Governor Snyder's Special Education Reform Task Force that provided recommendations in five focus areas to personalize and restructure special education programs in Michigan.
In November of 2017, he also chaired the subcommittee that was responsible for producing the Special Education Funding Report detailing the current state of Special Education funding in Michigan.
Dr. K.'s first position was at Grandville Public Schools as a middle and high school social studies teacher. Between 1994 and today, he has gained local district experience as a teacher, assistant principal, principal and superintendent. Prior to his Montcalm ISD Superintendent role, he served 6 years as Superintendent for Fowler Public Schools. He is also an Associate Graduate Faculty at CMU where he teaches leadership theory and educational administration.
Dr. K. and his wife, Jenny, have five children.
Teri L. Rink, Ed.S., Director of the MDE Office of Special Education.
Teri Rink became the Director of the MDE Office of Special Education in 2014. Prior to this position,, Ms. Rink had been a special education teacher for nearly 20 years, later serving as the Director of Special Education for Lapeer County Intermediate School District where she had previously served as the Monitor of Programs and Accountability. .
Ms. Rink believes the best part about leading special education in Michigan is the development and implementation of a statewide System of General Supervision in coordination with 56 Intermediate School Districts. This aligned system has increased the collective capacity to individualize technical assistance needs at the member district level to improve both compliance and student outcomes.
