FELCH TOWNSHIP — The North Dickinson County School District will need to replace its top two administrative positions with a new school year only months away.

Angel Inglese has resigned after more than 12 years as superintendent/principal to become director of general education for the Dickinson-Iron Intermediate School District.

Garrett O’Neil is leaving June 28 after only a year as business manager/technology director. He had succeeded Mike Roell, who retired at the end of June 2023.

While Inglese’s resignation takes effect June 30, she has agreed to stay on another month to help with the transition, as July is not a busy period for her new DIISD position, she told the board at a special meeting Tuesday.

The board approved hiring her for July at 1/12th of the salary she received while under contract.

Inglese also noted she still will work with North Dickinson as part of DIISD and is “reachable via telephone.”

When asked, Angela Jungwirth, the district’s guidance counselor and a teacher, said she would be willing to shoulder some of the principal duties, saying “I’ll do whatever I can.”

But she admitted she doesn’t have the background, experience or policy knowledge at this point to step in as superintendent, even on an interim basis, especially with the business manager also leaving. The board thanked her for her candor.

Inglese recommended the district use the Michigan Association of School Boards to mount a search for a new superintendent, a service available to members. The cost for the service would be based on pupil count, she said. She noted the MASB assisted Iron Mountain and Forest Park in finding replacements after their superintendents left.

MASB also knows the proper procedures that need to be followed when hiring a superintendent, Inglese said. But the district is required to have a superintendent, even an interim one, she said.

An option for filling the role if a candidate can’t be found in time for the coming school year would be to perhaps bring in a now-retired superintendent in the region for the short-term while the search continues, she said, adding the MASB can help with that as well. The DIISD, too, has stepped in when other districts had vacancies.

A native of the area, Inglese came to North Dickinson County School District in August 2002, after teaching math for two years in Iron Mountain and in Manistique before that. She earned her master’s degree in math education in 2008.

Inglese started out in administration as principal for sixth through 12th grades in 2009, then became principal for all grades in 2010 while still teaching math daily.

She took over as interim superintendent when Claude Siders resigned in December 2011, and was hired as superintendent while keeping the principal duties in July 2012.

While she said she will miss being at North Dickinson every day, she again noted she will still be involved with the district through DIISD. She lives in Felch Township, has one son who graduated from the school this year and another son will be a junior in the fall.

“Change is always hard. Change gives you anxiety,” Inglese said, but added, “I get to help all the schools now.”