TCAPS Executive Director Selected for Fellowship Program
Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) Executive Director of School Improvement and Innovative Programs and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) K-12 Curriculum Leader, Heidi Maltby-Skodack, has been selected for Saginaw Valley State University's (SVSU) 2023-24 Gerstacker Fellowship Program.
The 17th Gerstacker Fellowship Program cohort consists of 12 education leaders from districts across Michigan committed to professional growth. As part of the initiative, fellows participate in concentrated leadership training over one year. The group was inducted into the program during a ceremony on Thursday, November 2, 2023 at SVSU.
TCAPS Superintendent John R. VanWagoner II, Ph.D. attended the ceremony and added “the caliber of leaders in this cohort is phenomenal. I applaud Heidi for her innovative leadership, her expertise and experience will be beneficial to the Gerstacker Fellowship Program. This opportunity will provide Heidi with valuable global experiences that will enhance future programming for all of TCAPS.”
The cohort, which meets monthly, will be led by subject experts on leadership practices, organizational leadership, communication, cognitive coaching, finance, and education with a global perspective. As an extension of their study, the Gerstacker Fellows will travel to Finland and Germany in April to meet with educators from various educational institutions to learn about global educational systems and different cultures.
With a professional career that originated in architecture and engineering, Maltby-Skodack moved into the field of education to build and enhance STEM and other innovative opportunities in a K-12 setting. Now in her 7th year at TCAPS, the programs are growing and the community of STEM business leaders have joined the effort. “A goal that has remained a constant in my life has always been to support transformational change in education no matter what role or capacity I am serving,” stated Maltby-Skodack. “Our students are our most precious resource and providing a high-quality education for all students is not something to be taken lightly.”
Maltby-Skodack and many business leaders were on hand at the District's recent groundbreaking ceremonies for Manufacturing and Innovation Centers being built on the campuses of both West Senior High School and Central High School. Maltby-Skodack spoke on the history of TCAPS programming and the bright future ahead for all students in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
The Gerstacker Fellowship Program was established in 2005 with a $1.5 million endowment from the Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation of Midland. The Gerstacker Fellowship includes over 180 individuals who have completed the program.