GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — On Tuesday, the second and final candidate for the Green Bay Area Public School District's superintendent search, Dr. Claude Tiller, Jr., spoke with NBC 26.
Tiller currently works at the Detroit Public Schools Community District, which he says has 56,000 students.
He is an assistant superintendent that oversees high school transformation.
Tiller has also worked for the Michigan Department of Education.
He says increasing student enrollment is not a process that happens overnight, but mentioned pulling students from charter schools and looking at boundary lines as ways to attract children to attend Green Bay.
Tiller also says he has experience dealing with large financial pressures.
According to the District, it is projected to have a $29 million budget shortfall by the 2024-25 school year.
When asked of goals, here's what Tiller had to say.
"I work with and am an expertise in closing opportunity gaps," Tiller said. "I want us to be the number one academic, socially-improved district in the nation."
Tiller also joked that he's a Packers fan because his Detroit Lions have been letting him down.
"But I love my Detroit Lions," Tiller said. "But I just want to win. I'm a winner."
Parents and community members got the opportunity to meet Tiller at a public meet-and-greet Tuesday evening.
They asked and heard about several topics from Tiller.
"I loved what he said about it's not a one-size-fits-all kind of concept in terms of equality," parent Jackie Krutz said. "It's the equity and access to the education that's provided that really resonated with me, because all three of my kids are very different."
The District held a public meet-and-greet with the other finalist, Jenny Risner, on Monday.
The school board is set to approve the contract of the next superintendent at a meeting next month.
