FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE GOOCHLAND, VA – July 7, 2016
Dr. Pete Gretz named Superintendent for Middlesex County Public Schools
Middlesex County Public Schools announced yesterday that they have named Dr. Pete Gretz as the new Superintendent of their schools. They were impressed with his vast successful experience in all aspects of school leadership, and look forward to his becoming a vibrant member of the Middlesex community. Currently, Dr. Gretz serves as Assistant Superintendent of Business Operations at Goochland County Public Schools. He will begin with Middlesex on July 25.
“Pete has been an integral part of the successes we’ve achieved as a school division in recent years,” said Kevin Hazzard, School Board Chair. “All the members of the School Board are sad about this move. Yet, we know that his calming, thoughtful management style and his focus on developing leadership skills throughout the school division will serve the folks in Middlesex very well. We wish Pete and his family all the best as they take this next step on their journey.”
During his time in Goochland, Dr. Gretz led a number of important initiatives. He established a strong partnership with Mark Fernandes of Luck Companies to pioneer the use of their values-based leadership model in K-12 education, something that had never before been attempted. That initiative profoundly changed the nature of the school system, ultimately serving as the keystone for the division’s overall strategic plan. His leadership paved the way for the student-centered, deeper learning model that’s giving many new types of opportunities to students all across the county.
“Goochland has been a wonderful home to me and my family and I have benefited so much from the extraordinary work I’ve had the great fortune to be a part of,” said Gretz. “I am thrilled to embrace the challenge of leading the Middlesex schools and my family and I look forward to this exciting new chapter together. We will miss this community very much and hope to enjoy many more years of connection with the many deep relationships we’ve formed here.”
Incoming Goochland Superintendent, Dr. Jeremy Raley, remarked “I’ve heard such great things about Pete and am sorry that we will not have the chance to work closely together, but I support him in his decision. It is a wonderful opportunity for him and I know he will do great things in Middlesex.”
“While there are a lot of high level leadership changes happening in Goochland this summer, it actually provides us a great platform to build a structure that aligns well with Goochland’s innovative approach,” Raley continued. “Today, we are posting for an Executive Director for Business Operations. This position will continue to supervise and oversee the business operations of our organization, but specific emphasis will be placed on human resources and our future construction, planning, and capital needs.”