Menasha school district superintendent to retire after a decade of leading the district

MENASHA - The Menasha Joint School District board of education accepted and approved a retirement letter from Superintendent Chris VanderHeyden during a meeting earlier this month.

According to a news release from the district, VanderHeyden led the district of more than 3,100 students for the past decade and spent 35 years in education as a high school math teacher, coach, principal and superintendent. His last day will be June 30.

"I knew when I started here ten years ago that we could work hard and make a difference for the students and families in Menasha," VanderHeyden wrote in his letter to the board. "We can proudly make that claim today and I know quality, caring work will continue on behalf of these children."

Before coming to Menasha, VanderHeyden was superintendent of School District of Shiocton for five years, he told The Post-Crescent Monday. His time in Menasha wasn't his first stint in the Fox Valley, though, having previously served as principal of Ferber Elementary School and James Madison Middle School in the Appleton Area School District.

VanderHeyden also said he is grateful for his time leading the district and is proud of the work the district has accomplished.

One of those more recent accomplishments under is the almost $100 million referendum voters approved in November to rebuild the Maplewood Middle School campus.

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The Maplewood project brings VanderHeyden's time in the district full-circle since the start of his role as superintendent came on the heels of the last successful referendum that allowed for updates and renovations to Menasha High School.

The planning and preparation work for the Maplewood project will keep him busy for his final few months, VanderHeyden said. And while he's looking forward to his next chapter of life, he plans on helping the district find the right person to be his successor.

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Reach AnnMarie Hilton at ahilton@gannett.com or 920-370-8045. Follow her on Twitter at @hilton_annmarie.