As he leans forward, a nostalgic look crosses his face. He absentmindedly takes a swig from his blue coffee mug and a smile spreads from the corners of his mouth up to his eyes.

 

“My high school self...Wow. That’s a long time ago, Maddie,” said Mason’s new superintendent Ron Drzewicki (pronounced Ja-veed-ski).

 

As he thinks back on his teenage years, he looks around his pearly, polished, orderly office and smiles a little.

 

“I guess my high school experience was pretty typical,” he said. “I was involved in athletics, I enjoyed all the dances and homecomings, all the stuff that went with the social side of high school. Like all teenagers, you want to fit in, you want to be popular.”

 

Yet Drzewicki’s time in school must have had a positive impact on him, because it’s not uncommon to see him walking around the halls of Mason High School and other schools in the district, 
visiting classrooms, attending different events, and talking to students and staff about their experiences in the Mason schools.

 

“I think it’s important that the students know who the superintendent is,” said Drzewicki. “They may not personally meet me, but they need to be able to know that I care about what goes on in the schools, that students are the focus of everything we do, and my role is one to support our student body. And the only way I can do that is if I interact, I communicate. I talk with students, and get their thoughts and feedback on how our school is doing, and what good things we should keep doing and what areas we can improve upon.”

 

English teacher Marie Stimers has noticed his presence in the MHS community.

 

“I saw him at freshman orientation day, and I have seen him at the National Honor Society induction dinner. He makes the people of the community feel like their input means something to him,” Stimers said, “He seems to be making himself known.”

 

Drzewicki also makes his presence known through attending events like the pep assembly, soccer games, and volleyball games.

 

“It seems like everywhere I go and everyone I talk to has a good story or a great example of our school school district doing good work in the community and in the state,” said Drzewicki. “I always seem to hear that in my visits and conversations with others.”

 

Drzewicki was hired as Mason Public Schools’ new superintendent this past summer when the Board of Education voted unanimously to appoint him to the position. Drzewicki had previously served as superintendent at White Pigeon Community Schools in White Pigeon, Mich. for six years. But he knew Mason had a strong reputation and decided to look further into the job opening.

 

“The more I looked, the more I liked it. The more conversations I had, the more I learned about Mason, the more attractive the position became,” he said. “I’ve just been impressed with the warm welcome. This is a great opportunity, and a great place for me to be a part of.”

 

Before becoming a superintendent, Drzewicki served as a middle school math teacher, a high school math teacher, and as a middle school principal before gaining additional training to become a superintendent. While he’s had a wide range of jobs in the education field, being a superintendent is where his heart is. 

 

“I taught for six years, and always reflect on the years that I taught in the classroom because it reminds me of the challenges that our classroom teachers are facing on a daily basis,” Drzewicki said. “But I wouldn’t go back. I love the work that I do, and it’s very impactful on the community and the school and the lives of others, and I take my position very seriously. It’s important work.”

 

Even in the short time he’s been here, Drzewicki has been impacted by the supportive, caring Mason schools.

 

“I think the Mason community has a very strong sense that the community is really what makes us special,” he said.

 

But Drzewicki also has a vision for the future of Mason Public Schools. He wants to create changes that will add to the values already in place. He wants to bring improvement.

 

“I certainly want to continue the outstanding programs in fine tradition of our school district, but I also want to bring a look forward of what we can become in the short-term future and in the long-term future,” he said. “I want us to become the best school district we can become. I believe in constant improvement, and I just want us to serve our students, our parents, and community to the highest level that we can.”

 

His main goal as a superintendent? To strengthen the bond in Mason by working together as one large community.

 

“I want to get people to continue to work together to support our Mason family, to look out for each other, and to be that warm, caring school district that can support all kids, regardless of what path they choose.”

 

And while he may view his own high school experience as “typical,” his vision for our students’ school experiences is anything but. He wants to create a district that will have a lasting, positive impact on students, and he wants their time at Mason to be memorable.

 

“I encourage students to stop me and say hi when they see me in the hallway, share their thoughts, share their experiences as a Mason High school student. I want them to feel welcome approaching me, and we need everyone’s help working together to become the best school district we can.”