Mary Ann Cyr
By ZEINAB NAJM
Times-Herald Newspapers
HEIGHTS — Dearborn Heights District 7 Interim Supt. Mary Ann Cyr officially began serving the school district last week following the resignation of former Supt. Jennifer Mast.
Cyr introduced herself to the board while still a candidate after she was approached to be considered, during a July 22 special board meeting.
“It would be an honor and privilege if you choose me as your interim superintendent,” she said.
She will be serving as interim until Dec. 31 while a search for a permanent superintendent continues.
Cyr was formerly assistant superintendent of the Taylor School District from 2016 to 2021, part-time adjunct professor from 2014 to 2016, principal at Monroe Public Schools from 2004 to 2016, assistant principal at Monroe Public Schools from 1999 to 2004, high school English and French teacher from 1997 to 1999, and elementary French teacher from 1990 to 1994.
D7 School Board President Carrie Harleton said Cyr has a doctorate in Education Specialist in Leadership, a master’s degree, bachelor’s degree in education and Michigan Administration Certification.
“What I can promise you is that from the first day of my teaching career, I have always put students at the forefront of every decision I’ve made,” Cyr said. “Certainly as we rise in positions of leadership, it is critical to do that and what that does is really dispel any opportunity for personal agendas. When we think about what we need to do for all students and move forward as a team, amazing and powerful things can happen and that’s really been my mantra form the onset of my career.”
The district asked families, staff and students within the district to provide input and feedback through a survey. The information collected will help the district understand what is most important as the hiring process for a new superintendent beings.
In June, Mast informed the board she was stepping down by Aug. 9. She will be teaching fifth grade at Pardee Elementary School for the upcoming school year after requesting to return to the classroom with a teaching position within the district.
Her last board meeting as superintendent was Aug. 4 where she read a goodbye letter.
“I have served the families of District 7 for my entire career of 24 years, I’ve been a teacher for a total of 13 years, a building principal for a total of seven years and the superintendent for the last four years,” she said. “During those four years I’ve had the great privilege to work with he most capable and dedicated staff, our teachers, paraprofessionals, building secretaries, custodians, engineers, central office secretaries, food service, child care and administrators are the absolute best of the best. Our people go above and beyond for the students and families that we serve.”
Mast listed some of the achievements accomplished during her time as superintendent. Those included, significant boost in the positive morale among the staff and students; rebranding the district to include new and improvised website, a flourishing social media presence and a new logo inviting everyone to discover the D7 difference; implementation of Alice Training to prepare staff and students for the unthinkable event of an active shooter; implementing the school resource officer program in partnership with the Dearborn Heights Police Department; restoring lost wages to all employees after more than 10 years of concessions in the district; growing the fund balance in the district from 1.5 percent in 2017 to 23 percent in 2021; initiating the diversity, equity and inclusion in the district; and passing a net zero tax increase bond of $6.4 million to improve all buildings and facilities in the district.
“All of these achievements and so many more could not have been accomplished without the hard work and dedicated efforts of our staff,” Mast said. “It was my hope that I would be able to continue to lead this staff and retire from the superintendent position but sadly that will not be the case.”
Mast spent four years as principal at Bedford Elementary School. She has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from University of Michigan-Dearborn in education and administration.
At the June 15 meeting, board members thanked Mast for her time as superintendent and for her efforts. Mast served as superintendent since May 2017 following her time as interim superintendent. She previously worked as a teacher and assistant principal at O.W. Best Middle School.
(Zeinab Najm can be reached at [email protected].)