CG-Belgium superintendent retires

Supt. Jeanne Courneene has retired from the Cedar Grove-Belgium School District and the School Board is looking for short-term and long-term replacements.

The board accepted Courneene’s retirement after meeting in closed session on Wednesday, Aug. 14. Her last day with the district was Friday, Aug. 16.

In an email to Ozaukee Press, Courneene cited “family reasons” for her retirement.

“It has been a privilege to serve as superintendent of the Cedar Grove-Belgium School District over the past five years. I have truly enjoyed my time in this wonderful community, and have appreciated the opportunity to work with all our talented and hard-working staff, students, parents and community members,” she wrote.

“It has been an honor to lead the school district as we’ve faced a range of challenges and opportunities together. Our district is a better place for kids as a result.”

Courneene was named superintendent in 2014 after spending 16 years as principal of Cedar Grove-Belgium Middle School. She was an assistant middle school principal in Indiana for three years before that.

Courneene was chosen from about 15 other applicants. The School Board wanted to promote from within, board president Chad Hoopman said.

Courneene has a bachelor’s degree in physical education and biology degree from Northern Michigan University, a master’s degree in education administration and leadership from Butler University and a doctorate in administrative leadership from Marian University.

The board, in a statement issued Aug. 15, thanked Courneene for her work and said “she has made the success of students her top priority.”

The statement said the board plans to move quickly to hire an interim district administrator for this year and to fill the position permanently for the 2020-21 school year.

The first day of school in the Cedar Grove-Belgium School District is Tuesday, Sept. 3.