About Us
Message from the Superintendent
Thank you for choosing Charlevoix Public Schools! It is my privilege and an honor to serve the Charlevoix Public School District as your superintendent. I am looking forward to beginning my 8th school year with CPS and my 32nd year in education!
Each year we provide background information about our administrators and key staff to help families get to know them a bit better, and I thought I would share with you my educational and personal background as we get ready to embark on a new school year.
After graduating with my teaching degree from Mankato State University, I began my career in education in 1991 as a fourth-grade teacher in Big Rapids, MI, where I also coached track and cross country. In 1993, I received my master’s in educational leadership from Central Michigan University and accepted a position in Ludington in 1998 to become an elementary principal, a role I held for 17 years.
In 2013, I went back to the classroom and earned my educational specialist degree from Grand Valley State University, which further prepared me for my goal to become a superintendent. In 2015, when the superintendent position opened in Charlevoix, I was excited to apply. I was hired by the board of education and began on July 1, 2015.
The support of my wife and family has been the most important part of my life. My wife, Julie, was born in England and raised in Scotland, and works as an optometrist at Grand Traverse Ophthalmology Clinic (GTOC). We have four children: Matthew is the oldest and is a patent attorney in Washington, D.C.; David, who graduated from CPS in 2017, is a software consultant for Dynatrace in Lansing; Alan, who graduated from CPS in 2020, is a pre-optometry student at Ferris State University; and Kate is a junior at CMHS.
During my tenure at CPS, I can truly say I have been so fortunate to work with incredible staff, board of education members, students, families, and community partners. Each year at this time, I feel excitement and optimism for the new school year ahead and for continuing to serve our district and community in the years to come.
Go Rayders!
Mike Ritter, Superintendent
