TRAVERSE CITY — The Traverse City Area Public Schools Board of Education chose Matthew Schmidt to serve on the board.
Schmidt, a TCAPS graduate and parent of three TCAPS students (one has graduated), will fill the interim board seat and serve from Aug. 24 through Dec. 31, 2028.
“Serving as a TCAPS trustee is an opportunity to give back to a community and school system that have been important to my family and to me. As a lifelong learner, I would welcome the opportunity to better understand the challenges facing TCAPS and contribute to informed decisions,” he said in his application packet.
On July 30, the retirement of former board President Scott Newman-Bale created a vacancy. The board’s vice president, Erica Moon Mohr, was automatically promoted to president, Treasurer Scott Hardy was voted in as vice president and Trustee Ty Schmidt took over the treasurer role.
Six applicants submitted applications for the open board position. They each had the opportunity to speak for five minutes and respond to trustee questions for one minute per question. Trustees were limited to one question per candidate. One applicant was unable to attend the meeting, but her application letter was read aloud.
Mohr said that the pool of applicants was “very impressive.”
“Any one of you would be an amazing choice, and we would be lucky to have any of you serve on the TCAPS school board,” she said prior to the vote.
Board members listed strong community connections, commitment to district values, board experience and support of the strategic plan goals as attributes they were looking for in a new trustee.
As a former Traverse City Commissioner, with a deep connection to TCAPS and a strong financial background, Schmidt checked most of the board’s boxes.
During his remarks, Schmidt said that the district needs to strive to provide every student with programs that “reach out to them.” He said he feels very strongly that “public education is critical to equality of opportunity.”
Schmidt said that the board has to be able to make difficult decisions. When Treasurer Ty Schmidt asked him how he would approach a tough decision, he said he would gather information, withhold judgment and listen.
“Everyone on this board that I see, everyone has good intentions, so it’s a matter of finding out where’s that difference,” he said.
The board’s work expands beyond the meetings, Schmidt said, and into the community. He said in his application that he would work to help the community understand the district’s goals, priorities and challenges.
“I dare say most people in this community don’t even, you know, they’re not aware that there’s an appointment, they’re not aware that, you know, what seats are up for election,” he said.
“People have busy lives, and so we can be those ombudsman, ambassadors if you will, letting people know the good work that’s going on,” he said.
Schmidt, according to his social media, graduated from Northwestern University with a communications degree and has worked locally for Midmark Corporation and ATLAS Space Operations.