Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 40

A LU M N I P R O F I L E

Homegrown leadership

GRPS superintendent advocates for students, schools
STORY BY SUSAN M.K. HOWARD, '10 AND '15 / PHOTO BY JESS WEAL

Teresa Weatherall Neal, '97, has traveled a
unique path to her role as the superintendent
of Grand Rapids Public Schools.

Teresa
Weatherall
Neal with her
grandson, C.J.,
who attends
GRPS.

Neal is a product of GRPS from kindergarten
through 12th grade, and has worked for the
district since the 1970s. She was named
superintendent in 2012.
"I started working for GRPS as a student worker
at the age of 15," Neal said. "Over the years, I
advanced to receptionist, secretary, compliance
officer, grant writer, director, co-director, assistant
superintendent, and then, finally, to where I am now
as the superintendent."
With more than 40
years of service to the
district, Neal has had a
positive effect on the
lives of young people in
Grand Rapids.
Under her leadership,
GRPS has undergone many
positive transformations.
The district offers a wider
variety of school choices,
and administrators and
teachers have worked
to reduce chronic
absenteeism and increase
graduation rates.
In 2012, GRPS
established Parent
University, which provides
classes designed for parents
with the goal of helping
them become advocates for
their children's success.
The program is the first of
its kind in Michigan.
"My goal is to leave GRPS better than it was the
day I started as superintendent," Neal said. "So
I continue to fight for our school system because I
want to make it the best. Every day, everything I do
is to make GRPS better."
GRPS teamed with Grand Valley and other
community partners to open the Grand Rapids
Public Museum School in 2015. Grand Valley's
College of Education and Center for Educational
Partnerships contributed to the design and creation
of the school that focuses on place-based education,

G R A ND VA LLE Y M AG AZ INE

40

SPR ING 201 7

innovation, creativity, critical
thinking and problem solving
with real-world challenges,
communication and
collaboration. Neal said these
are essential skills for students
to succeed in a global society.
Other Museum School
community partners are Grand
Rapids Public Museum, Kendall
College of Art and Design and
the City of Grand Rapids. The
Museum School earned a $10
million grant in the fall from the
XQ Super School Project.
Part of Neal's journey to
superintendent included
earning a bachelor's degree in
public administration from
Grand Valley in 1997. She also
earned a master's degree in
educational leadership from
Western Michigan University
in 2000. Her choice to attend
Grand Valley was a family matter.
"I am the fifth person in my
family to graduate from Grand
Valley, so it was the natural
choice for me," she said. "I
always wanted to go to GVSU.
Because some of my siblings
were Lakers, I just knew that I
was also going to be a Laker."
Neal's connection with
Grand Valley has only grown
stronger since graduating.
"Grand Valley has been
awesome at answering the call
for GRPS students," Neal said.
"We get the majority of our
teachers through Grand Valley,
plus many students complete
their student teaching within
the district. There's hardly a
program or department in our
district that isn't connected to
Grand Valley somehow.
"Also, President Haas has
become a thought partner for
me. He regularly helps me think

"Grand Valley
has been
awesome at
answering the
call for GRPS
students."
TERESA WEATHERALL
NEAL, '97

through issues and offers
his opinions and resources
when possible."
Neal was named a Giant
Among Giants in 2016 for her
work with the city's school
district. The award is given
by Grand Rapids Community
College and recognizes the
notable contributions of
African Americans to the
quality of life in Grand Rapids.
"Education is one of the
greatest equalizers in the
United States, and that's what
we do," said Neal. "We change
lives. We change generations."



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017

West Side story
Knowledge for all
Hopes and dreams for a better future
Fund honors son's memory
Athletics
Q&A
Off the Path
Research
Arts
Campus News Briefs
Alumni Giving
Alumni Profile
Alumni News Briefs
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 1
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 2
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 3
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - West Side story
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 5
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 6
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 7
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - Knowledge for all
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 9
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 10
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 11
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 12
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - Hopes and dreams for a better future
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 14
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 15
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - Fund honors son's memory
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 17
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 18
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 19
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 20
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 21
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - Athletics
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 23
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - Q&A
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 25
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - Off the Path
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 27
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - Research
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 29
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - Arts
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 31
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 32
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - Campus News Briefs
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 34
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 35
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 36
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 37
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - Alumni Giving
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 39
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - Alumni Profile
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 41
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - Alumni News Briefs
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 43
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 44
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 45
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 46
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 47
Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 48
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