Tom Tolen / news@whmi.com

Within a 2-month period, a second top administrator has left the Brighton Area Schools. The latest to leave is Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Chad Scaling.

The Walled Lake School District in Oakland County recently announced that Scaling has been hired as the new executive manager of human resources. The Brighton Area Schools Board of Education has Scaling’s resignation on its agenda for Monday night’s workshop session. However, it’s a mere formality at this point since, according to a press release by the Walled Lake School District, that district’s board approved his hiring at the Aug. 3rd meeting.

Scaling had been in Brighton for only two years - serving for most of that time as executive director of human resources before he was elevated to an assistant superintendent’s position. He was hired in Brighton after serving for 11 years as principal of South Lyon High School.

As the second high-ranking official to leave the Brighton Area Schools this summer, it begs the question of why two top administrative officials have left in such a short period of time. Former assistant superintendent of business and finance Michael Engelter resigned in June and is now the assistant supt. of finance and operations in the Pinckney Community School District. Engelter’s last months in Brighton were a bit rocky and two members in particular - Board Vice President Bill Trombley and freshman Trustee Andy Storm - were particularly vocal in their criticism of him. In response to the regular grilling he was given, Engelter sought a position elsewhere and was hired in mid-June by the Pinckney Community Schools to essentially the same position.

When he left, Engelter told WHMI that while he had, in his words, “appreciated working in Brighton (and) the opportunity to work with many great people, working with the BAS Board of Education has become untenable.” Engelter said further that he had “lost faith in their ability to govern the district as they are unable to regulate themselves.” WHMI attempted to contact Mr. Scaling for comment on his departure but he did not respond before our deadline.

WHMI news asked Brighton Area Schools Supt. Matthew Outlaw why there have been two departures of top administrators in such a short time and he responded that, in his words, “Being an executive leader in any organization is demanding in the best of times, but these positions have become even more challenging in recent years. We are seeing high levels of turnover in these key positions across the nation at this time. Talented people like Mike and Chad are regularly recruited for other positions, so they have choices."

WHMI also asked Outlaw whether he feels the grilling and criticisms that had been dealt Scaling and Engelter by a few board members contributed to their departures. His response was, "We are all professionals and you have to have thick skin to successfully lead these public positions. With that said, there are limits, and those were reached in Mr. Engelter’s case, minimally.” Outlaw said further that, “He and Chad Scaling are both big losses for our team and I am sad to see them leave."