Meet Catherine Cost: Candidate for Clawson Superintendent

About 15 people showed up Wednesday night for the second round of interviews for the Clawson superintendent position.

The this week with hopes of narrowing the choices to two-three finalists after Thursday. after five years of working in the district. Her retirement will be effective in June.

Catherine Cost interviewed Wednesday after . Cost has been with Farmington Public Schools for six years as assistant superintendent of instructional services. She has an Ed.D. in educational administration and a master's in curriculum and instruction. She was the high school principal of for six years and the assistant high school principal of for four years.

Cost answered a series of questions from board members ranging from topics such as curriculum to her experiences as a school leader. Toward the end of the 90-minute interview, Cost answered a few questions from the audience.

"I would love to further the efforts you all have made … and put my hand print on the district," Cost said to the board during her interview. "I believe that together we can be very successful. I'm eager, I’m ready and I hope that we can make that happen."

Cost grew up in Saline and currently resides in Farmington Hills.

Here are some highlights from Cost's responses to interview topics:

On challenges in the district

"I think every school district has had to look at itself in the mirror and have a hard financial conversation of how do we make ends meet," Cost said. 

She said districts are challenged with maintaining the fund balance and increasing state test results above the state average.

Qualities that set her apart

"My passion for student achievement comes to the top of who i am," Cost said. She said she has an ability to form relationships, solve problems and produce win-win outcomes for certain situations.

Visible leadership examples

A few years ago, Cost said Farmington had to reduce $18 million from the district's budget. This budget cut resulted in closing schools and redistricting thousands of students. Cost oversaw a committee that organized informational sessions to seek community input. With suggestions from the community, students were able to transfer schools while remaining in their same cohort group from the previous school. 

On diversity, school of choice

Cost said she has been exposed to a lot of diversity throughout her career as a educator. She discussed the diverse student bodies in both Troy and Farmington and how it can be a challenge to develop the student calendar with so many different religious holidays.

Cost said she is a supporter of school of choice and would look forward to working with the diverse students in Clawson Schools. 

"I support school of choice, I believe in this day and age, choice is something that parents want," Cost said. "If you don't offer choice, (families) will go somewhere where choice is offered."

Building trust with staff, community

Visibility in the community is crucial, Cost said. She said attending events and showing interest in what the students are doing is a good way to build trust. She also said it's important to get acquainted with community leaders such as the mayor, City Council and police department.

Recruiting high quality educators and retaining them

Cost said she looks for teachers who can inspire and motivate students and seeks qualities and traits that compliment the current building staff.

"If we don’t find that needle in the hay stack, we reopen that position," Cost said.

She said once you get those quality educators, it is important to retain them by offering support, feedback and helping them continually grow.

The last candidate, Monique Beels, will be interviewed at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the . Learn more about the of the candidates.