Brooklyn man selected to lead Addison schools

Dr. Daniel Patterson addresses the Addison Board of Education during the vetting process. Patterson has been awarded the position.

By Dan Cherry
Lenawee County contributing writer

A Brooklyn man with Addison ties has been selected to become the next superintendent of Addison Community Schools.

Dr. Daniel Patterson, Director of Assessment, Research & Evaluation at Dearborn Public Schools, was voted by the Addison Community Schools Board of Education to succeed Steve Guerra, who is retiring June 30 after serving a decade as superintendent.

Patterson was one of two candidates reviewed by the board on March 8, following a three-finalist panel session on March 2. The third candidate, Dundee’s assistant superintendent Jennifer Wonnell, withdrew her candidacy in the days following the March 2 interview, after being offered another school leadership position in the state. The other candidate under consideration by Addison officials was Jackson Western’s Warner Elementary principal Ben Gilpin.

Patterson has stepchildren who attend Addison. His wife, Jessica Sword, is a former staff member in the district and is currently a professor in teacher education at Adrian College.

The board at previous meetings laid out a timeline between the interview process and June, with Patterson and Guerra working together over the next few months as part of a transition plan. (more below)

The incoming superintendent listed among his short and long-range goals as working on branding or rebranding the district, enhancing the school website, working with students who are not engaged in school, and examining every program and curriculum initiative at Addison.

He said during his interviews it is vital to do what is best for the students and for those working for the district and to engage the community to build a better school system.

“We have great leaders here, but we need to also listen to the needs of the community to ensure we move forward in a positive direction,” he said. He said he will also work with the building administrators to showcase Addison as a district of excellence.

“To build a district, you need to build an effective leadership team,” he said.

The board was assisted in the search process by Rodney Green, a search consultant through the Michigan Association of School Boards.