Henry Gold and Barb Evoe Announce Retirement from Ferndale Schools

(Ferndale Schools Press Release, Aug. 20, 2013)

The Ferndale Schools Board of Education unanimously voted at their August 19, 2013 meeting in support of the retirement resignations to two of its top administrators, Henry Gold, Deputy Superintendent, and Barbara Evoe, Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction.

Henry Gold has spent all 44 years of his career in education at the Ferndale Public Schools. He began  as a social studies teacher at Ferndale High School in 1969.  He was promoted to FHS Assistant Principal in 1988, a position for which he was named Michigan Association of Secondary Principals Assistant Principal of the Year in 1999. In 2002, Gold became the district’s Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services, and from 2006 to his 2013 retirement has served as Deputy Superintendent.  His retirement will be effective November 1, 2013.

A graduate of Berkley High School, Gold earned a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Wayne State University, and a law degree from the University of Detroit. Gold has many years of experience working with Ferndale’s employee unions. As part of his oversight of the Human Resources Department, he has been responsible for contract negotiations, contract maintenance, grievances, arbitrations, and litigation, as well as employee hiring, evaluation, discipline, payroll and benefits. Gold is a member of the American Association of School Administrators, the Michigan Negotiators Association, Association of School Administrators, and the State Bar of Michigan.

Superintendent Gary Meier said of Gold: “Henry’s work has been so important to me and to the district. His ability to provide an historical context about the Ferndale Schools, plus his years of service to students and knowledge of school families has been such an advantage to our work. I have a high regard for his abilities and leadership. His professional expertise as an attorney has also been very beneficial to us over the years.”

Barbara Evoe began her career in the Ferndale School District as a kindergarten teacher. Her mother was also a teacher in the Ferndale Schools, and had been a graduate of the district. She continued her education career in the Royal Oak School District where she served as a teacher, elementary principal, Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction, and Executive Director of Administrative Services. During her years as an elementary principal, she was named the Michigan PTSA’s Educator of the Year. Evoe returned to the Ferndale Schools in July 2007 as Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction. Her retirement will be effective on October 1, 2013.

Evoe is a graduate of Berkley High School and she earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education at Albion College, and her master’s (specialization in reading) and education specialist (administration and leadership) degrees at Oakland University. Gary Meier, Superintendent of Ferndale Schools, said: “Barb’s expertise on ensuring the best possible performance on standardized assessments, as well as her curriculum and instruction acumen, have been invaluable to me during her years in Ferndale. Her leadership on using data to drive instruction has made a significant difference in how our teachers teach, and how our students learn.”

Board President Jim O’Donnell said of their retirements:  “The school board and I extend our best wishes for happy and healthy retirements to Mr. Gold and Ms. Evoe. They have dedicated such a significant part of their professional lives to the children of Ferndale Public Schools, and for that we congratulate and commend them. The board truly appreciates all the good work they have done over their years here. On a personal note, I thank both of them for the education and assistance they have provided to me and the new trustees during this initial part of our terms.”

To learn more about Ferndale Schools, visit http://www.ferndaleschools.org.