By Crystal Hayduk
Mike Kapolka, former Chelsea High School principal, will be Chelsea School District’s next superintendent beginning Aug. 1.
On July 14, following the second round of interviews, which included the presentation of a 90-day plan, the board of education voted unanimously to enter contract negotiations with Kapolka.
Kapolka is well-known to school board trustees, district staff and students, and community stakeholders as both a resident of Chelsea and long-time employee of the district. He was first hired as assistant principal of Chelsea High School in 2007, and became principal in 2012.
Kapolka left the position in November 2021 to become the assistant superintendent of human resources for Wayne-Westland Community Schools, but applied for the superintendent of Chelsea School District (CSD) when Dr. Julie Helber announced her retirement at the end of May.
In his closing statement to the board at his first interview on July 12, Kapolka said it’s always been Chelsea for him. It was hard to leave last fall, but he always hoped to come back and interview for the superintendent position when the time was right.
Prior to his work in Chelsea, Kapolka was an English teacher and department chair for six years in Warren, Michigan. He earned two bachelor’s degrees from Eastern Michigan University, with majors in English language and literature, political science, and history. He received a master’s degree in educational leadership from Wayne State University in 2005.
Kapolka is married and has three children who attend Chelsea schools.
In his second interview, Kapolka said he plans to lead from day one like his “hair is on fire,” forward-facing and with energy to hopefully bridge the gap of division that has crept into the district.
He said CSD is a “magnificent district,” the best in the state in his opinion, and with a great potential for growth.
Following the board’s decision, Kapolka said, “I am humbled and extremely excited to have been selected by the board of education as the next superintendent of the Chelsea School District. Having the opportunity to return home to Chelsea in this position is truly special and I am eager to begin reconnecting with our faculty, parents, and students as we prepare for the upcoming school year. Go Bulldogs!”
