New principal for Bloomfield Hills high school

By Lisa Brody

Outgoing Bloomfield Hills Schools Superintendent Pat Watson announced on Thursday, July 20, at a special board of education meeting, that Dr. Daniel Hartley has been named the new principal of Bloomfield Hills High School.

Hartley comes from Grosse Pointe Public School System, where he served as the Director of Secondary Instruction.

Bloomfield Hills High School previous principal, Lawrence Stroughter, resigned in early May after taking a leave of absence following a series of diversity assemblies at Bloomfield Hills High School on March 13, which featured a noted anti-Israeli Palestinian speaker who made statements calling Israel an apartheid state, “an oppressor,” as well as denying Israel's existence and created divisiveness in both the school and general community,

In the wake of the controversies, Watson announced his retirement from the district in April, effective July 31. Currently, the board of education will be holding its final round of interviews for superintendent finalists during special meetings of the board on Tuesday, July 25, and Wednesday, July 26, at 6 p.m. at Booth Center. Randy Liepa, PhD, has been named acting superintendent of the district, effective Monday, July 17, and will become interim superintendent of the district effective August 1, until a new superintendent is hired or October 30, 2023, whichever comes first.

According to an email from Watson, Bloomfield Hills Schools partnered with an external organization, Michigan Leadership Institute (MLI), to assist in the hiring of the Bloomfield Hills High School principal position.

“The first round interview consisted of candidates participating in four 30-minute interviews with our four key stakeholder groups: students, community members (including members of the Board of Education), staff members, and administrators. It also included one 30-minute prompt. The second round interview consisted of a two-hour interview with district administrators, facilitated by MLI. In addition to interviews, a thorough vetting process took place,” Watson said.

Besides working with the Grosse Pointe Public School System, over the previous twenty years, Hartley has served as a high school teacher and department chair for the Goodrich Area Schools; elementary principal and middle school assistant principal for the Dearborn Public Schools; middle school principal for the Grosse Pointe Public School System; and director of secondary instruction for the Fraser Public Schools.

He received his undergraduate degree from University of Michigan, his masters degree from University of Michigan-Flint, and his doctorate and specialist degrees from Oakland University.

Hartley and his wife, Sarah, an elementary school teacher, have two elementary aged boys, Jacob, and Henry. Beyond the field of education, his passions include performing in vocal ensembles and theatrical productions, coaching youth sports, cheering on local teams and spending time with family and friends.