School year starts at Charlevoix Middle/High School with new principal
CHARLEVOIX — With the start of the new school year, students at Charlevoix Middle/High School will now have the opportunity to meet their new principal, Dan Terryberry, who was hired over the summer after the retirement of Suzanne Klinger.
This is Terryberry’s first principal position. He comes to Charlevoix after 18 years in Onsted, Michigan where he was a teacher and the longest serving head football coach in Lenawee County.
A graduate of Michigan State University, he started his teaching career in Tecumsah and has been in education for over 26 years.
Over that time, Terryberry said a lot has changed in education and a lot has stayed the same.
“Our advancing technology has allowed for greater communication,” he said, explaining how much easier it is to keep families “in the loop” and provide students with greater access.
“But there is the simple stuff of trying to get the most out of kids and motivate them ... that has not changed. The basic goal of getting our students to become better people — that has always stayed the same.”
Terryberry was born and raised in Charlevoix. His parents still live in the city in the same house that he grew up in. He also met his wife, Kristen, in Charlevoix. She is now an administrative assistant for Boyne City Public Schools. Together they have two children — Dylan, who is a sophomore at Michigan State, and Rebecca, who is a freshman at Grand Valley State University.
Terryberry was one of 20 candidates for the principal position and participated in three interviews along with one other finalist, according to Charlevoix Public Schools Superintendent Mike Ritter.
“After speaking with many references, my confidence in Dan’s ability to lead our middle/high school was solidified," Ritter said. "I am excited for Mr. Terryberry and our district as he returns to Charlevoix to take on this important leadership role.”
Terryberry said his main goal for the start of the school year is “to keep us moving forward ... to keep us improving. I want our school to be successful and the best it can be.”
On a personal level, Terryberry said his goal is “to learn a lot of the things in the school that I haven’t seen yet and don’t know about. I believe in building strong relationships with students and staff ... and the first thing is to learn all the kids' names.”
Terryberry hosted a meet-and-greet on Aug. 31 to give families and students the chance to discuss issues with him. He plans to possibly hold a similar event later this fall.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Dan Terryberry to serve as new Charlevoix Middle/High School principal
