Robin Seniura has been promoted from assistant principal to principal at Dorr Elementary School.

Seniura, whose appointment was announced Monday night at the Wayland Board of Education meeting, succeeds Kevin Zaschak, who resigned last month to take a special education post with the Kent County Intermediate School District.

The new head principal has worked in the Wayland system since 1988. She earned her bachelor’s degree in child development in 1985 from Michigan State University and a master’s degree in school administration from MSU in 1992. She began her teaching career at Mason Public Schools.

During her career at Wayland she has taught first, third and fourth grades, as well as kindergarten in the summer. She had been assistant principal for the last four and a half years. Seniura has been the Assistant Principal at Dorr Elementary for the past four and a half years.

She and her husband, Bill, have two sons, Will and Matt, all alumni of Michigan State University.

Board of Education member Janel Hott told her, “Your persistence has paid off. Congratulations.

Her appointment is the third for a principal at Wayland in the last year. All three were promotions from within. Christina Johnson at Steeby Elementary and Robyn Robinson at Pine Street were the other two.

“It is my great fortune to work with children,” she is quoted saying on the school’s web site. “I set very high expectations for each and every student because I believe each one can be a success. Children never cease to amaze me with their determination and persistence. They make me smile and laugh each and every day.”

Superintendent Norman Taylor said a search for a new assistant principal will begin immediately.

In other business Monday, the school board:

• Re-elected Cinnamon Mellema as president. Pete Zondervan was chosen vice president, Toni Ordway treasurer and Teresa Dobry secretary.

• Welcomed as special guests members of the middle school robotics team and high school debate team.

Robotics advisor Michelle Foster noted this was the first year sixth-graders were added to the team and commented, “I’m really proud of what we’ve become in our fourth year.”

Debate team advisor Andrea Brown said, “Everybody on this team brought home at least one trophy. We had an outstanding season with an outstanding group of students.”

• Received the progress report on the budget from Finance Director Patricia Velie, who said, “We are where we ant to be for this time of year.”

Velie later in the meeting said of construction projects, “We’re on time, on target and within the budget.”

• Heard public comment from Jesse Beck and Brian Ortega, two representatives from the Wayland High School Athletic Boosters. They both urged the board to find a head varsity football with a successful track record because much of the revenue generated for the group’s support activities comes from concessions at football games.

• Heard from board member Dan Cassini that he’s like to see put to bed the controversy about administrators coaching athletics.

COVER PHOTO: Members of the Wayland Middle School robotics team were special guests at the Monday night meeting of the Board of Education.