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Wayne Memorial Principal Gildersleeve plans to guide the Zebras on a path to success

By Courtney Conover major with a marketing minor. One questions, really, were about policy,
Cory Gildersleeve has amassed of the teachers in the building systems, climate and culture—and
more than 26 years of experience in around the football offices was a then, how open are people to ideas
the realm of public education, so it’s physical education teacher—he used that can possibly help to bring peo-
fair to say that he’s learned a thing to coach football at Central before he ple together to raise some of those
or two. went to the teaching side of things. things. Everything I’d heard about
The value of teamwork and coop- He pulled me aside and said, “Gilder- Wayne-Westland—and Wayne Memo-
eration is among them. sleeve, what are you going to do rial, specifically—is that we have a
“I’m a team guy,” says Gilder- when you’re done playing football?” building full of people who care
sleeve, 49. “And I’m loyal as far as And I told him, “I’m going into the about kids. And they’re going to put
mission and vision—whether it’s cen- NFL, and then when I get out of the kids first. And, to me, that’s what
tral office leadership or building- NFL, then [I’ll go into] communica- matters the most because that’s what
level leadership. I believe in tions and marketing.” And he goes, I’m all about.
collective efficacy and getting folks to “But what are you going to do?” Then
come together.” he told me I needed to be around CC: What was the absolute best
It’s a formula that has served kids because there’s no better profes- thing about your first year at Wayne
Gildersleeve quite well. And this sion than being in public education, Memorial? What are you most proud
school year, he will continue to apply where you can change and save lives of?
all the valuable lessons he has every day. And pay it forward. I CG: The number one thing we
learned in school offices, class- looked at him, and said, “Okay.” did this year? I would say to estab-
rooms, and athletic fields. lish policy systems. In my heart,
Gildersleeve is bursting with CC: So, what happened next? though, the thing that I’m most
Zebra Pride, too. “I would put our fa- CG: He said, “I want you to take proud of was our PBIS [Positive Be-
cilities up against anybody’s.” Wayne Memorial High School principal, this class.” And I enrolled in a spe- havior Interventions and Supports]
As he embarks on his second Cory Gildersleeve cial education physical education work. Every Friday afternoon, we did
year in Wayne-Westland Community education. Where has your career class that worked directly hand in “Fri-yay” announcements where we
Schools, Gildersleeve took a mo- taken you? hand with the [Washtenaw] County recognized, rewarded, and rein-
ment to share a bit of his back- CG: I was a teacher and a coach ISD [Intermediate School District] forced the positive things our staff
ground and upcoming goals with for a long time, and then I started and most of those kids were very and our scholars have done here at
The Wayne Dispatch. doing some admin-type work in Ann high needs. And I was hooked. I school. From a staff standpoint, we
Arbor—and then I worked under- changed from communications-mar- called it “You rock,” and staff mem-
Courtney Conover: Do you have neath two building principals that keting to a teaching degree, and I’ve bers recognized staff members.
a back-to-school ritual? Have you both have gone on to be superintend- been in public education for 26 and From a student standpoint, we had
created a list to check off during ents. When one of my mentors went a half years now. golden tickets, and staff members
those immediate weeks leading up to to Ypsilanti, I ended up going as well would recognize students that were
the first day back? and [was there for] seven years as an CC: You previously mentioned doing incredible things across the
Cory Gildersleeve: First, as we administrator prior to coming here. your involvement in school athlet- building. That could be goodwill, at-
come out of year one and go into ics… tendance, attitude, academics…any-
year two, I spend most of the sum- CC: You adhere to something CG: Yes, I’ve coached football and thing. And all these good deeds are
mer reflecting on where we’re at and called “The 3 A’s.” Tell us about that. basketball, helped with track and submitted to the office Monday
where we need to go. We spend a CG: It’s attendance, academics, field, assisted in the weight room, through Friday. On “Fri-yay,” we
great majority of our time establish- and attitude. And, really, it’s all and led powerlifting teams at state would randomly draw three to four
ing and going over operating proce- hands on deck. I truly believe that it competitions. staff members and three to four stu-
dures—from A to Z. Then, we hit the takes a village. Especially in the edu- dents, play some music toward the
ground running. The biggest transi- cational world we’re in today, coming CC: What was it about Wayne- end of the day—pump it up a little
tion from year one to year two is that in and out of COVID and all the Westland that encouraged you to ac- bit—and then read the “You rock”
you’re no longer building the plane things our scholars and families cept the WMHS principal position? staff-to-staff and then read the
as you’re flying it because you don’t have had to deal with. We’re stronger CG: So, as you go through this golden tickets from staff-to-students.
have a whole bunch of brand-new ad- together. process, you’re looking at, first, That was the highlight of year one.
ministrators—or a brand-new princi- Where is this school as far as state CC: Speaking of something you’re
pal—in the building. For staff, for CC: What prompted you to be- testing and graduation? What’s hap- proud of, tell me about your family…
students, for our community, we come a teacher—or work in educa- pening day-to-day? because that’s a CG: My wife—she’s also a public
want to be able to build and main- tion—in the first place? very telling story. And I saw a build- educator—and I have been together
tain relationships as well as have CG: I played college football at ing that I am very used to working for a number of years and are
consistency in how we do business Central Michigan University, and I with. I’ve known people that have blessed to have a blended family. She
around here daily under this leader- had a pretty good career while I was worked here—Valerie Orr, Kevin has two children, and I have two,
ship. there. I was looking at a possible Weber. The education world is a very and our kids are very, very close.
route into the NFL, and my degree small world, and the more time
CC: Share a bit of your journey in was actually a communications you’re in it, the smaller it gets. My See Principal, page 9
The Wayne Dispatch · September 2023 · 3