The Northwest Education Services (North Ed) Board of Education unanimously selected Dr. Tara Mager to be the intermediate school district’s next superintendent.

The decision was made Wednesday night during a special board meeting and authorizes board President Joe Fisher to enter into contract negotiations on behalf of the board to secure Mager’s
employment, with a tentative start date of July 1.

Mager was selected among a pool of 22 applicants, and was one of two candidates offered a
second-round interview. Mager and the other finalist Stephanie O’Dea toured North Ed
programs, attended community open houses and participated in second-round interviews with
the board on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

Mager is currently superintendent at Clare-Gladwin Regional Education Service District. She
has 20 years of experience working in public education, including as a superintendent, principal
and guidance counselor at a local school district. She has successfully defended her doctoral
dissertation and will officially receive her Ph.D. from Eastern Michigan University in April. She
also holds degrees from Michigan State and Central Michigan universities.

Current North Ed Superintendent Dr. Nick Ceglarek is retiring after being hired for the role in
2017. Prior to starting at North Ed, Ceglarek served as superintendent at Hudsonville Public
Schools, Fruitport Community Schools and Baldwin Community Schools. He began his career in
education as a math teacher at Rockford Public Schools.

Northwest Education Services supports 20,000 students and more than 30 school districts
across the five counties of Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau. As the
intermediate school district, it provides early childhood services, special education and
vocational education programming for students, professional development for educators and
various support services for districts.