Watson leaving superintendent post at end of July

Bloomfield Hills Schools Superintendent Pat Watson notified the school community this past Tuesday, April 18, that he will be retiring at the end of this July, ending his three and one-half year tenure at the school district after working 29 years in public education.

Watson sent an email out to members of the school community which said he was retiring for “personal reasons and to spend more time with my family.”

In his announcement, Watson said that his “proudest moments” as superintendent included “successfully navigating the COVID-19 pandemic” and passage of the 2020 $200 million bond program, along with “transitioning our schools to have four equitably sized kindergarten through grade 5 elementary schools and two equitably sized grade 6 through 8 middle schools.”

Watson in late 2019 was chosen to lead the school district following work by a national search firm which drew a pool of 60 candidates that was narrowed down to nine and then four candidates by t he school board.

Prior to taking over the superintendent position, Watson was the principal of West Bloomfield High School in the neighboring West Bloomfield School District.