By J. PATRICK PEPPER
Times-Herald Newspapers
HEIGHTS — The Westwood Community School District on Thursday named a successor to the outgoing Supt. Ernie Minghine.
Taking over effective July 1 is Sue Carnell, a Wayne resident with extensive experience both in the operational and political realms of public administration.
Her most recent position was as a top member of Detroit Mayor Dave Bing’s
turnaround team, where she was responsible for administration operations. She was released from that job in April for unspecified reasons, according to published reports.
Prior to that Carnell was deputy superintendent of the largest school district in the state, Detroit Public Schools, right before it entered emergency financial management. Her duties there included community relations, financial considerations and operations.
Carnell, 53, also spent nearly five years as Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s top educational policy adviser. Other past jobs include time as director of the Offices of School Excellence and Community Services for the Michigan Department of Education, Elementary school principal and assistant director of Special Education for the Southgate Community School District, and as a teacher in Inkster Public Schools.
Carnell said in an interview Thursday she would look to draw on all of her previous experience to chart her new district’s course.
“I want to look at everything – the finances, curriculum, attracting new students and families – all of it, and we will build on the great foundation that’s already in place here in Westwood,” she said.
Carnell holds a master’s degree in special education from Eastern Michigan University and received her bachelor’s degree in special education from the University of Michigan. She is married and has two children and