Vickie Markavitch signs on for another year as superintendent
The Oxford school board has approved a one-year contract extension for Vickie Markavitch to remain as Oxford Community Schools superintendent.
The board unanimously approved the extension through the end of the 2023-24 school year.
She is the fourth person to hold the position since the Nov. 30,
2021, school shooting that saw four students shot to death and seven other people injured at Oxford High School.
Trustee Amanda McDonough said the district discussed the matter with the Michigan Leadership Institute, the consulting firm working with Oxford in a search for a permanent superintendent.
“We talked a lot about the concerns the board had for creating stability for our staff, which, of course, trickles down to the stability of our students and our schools,” said McDonough.
After further discussions, Markavitch agreed to a oneyear extension of her current contract, now set to expire on June 20, 2024.
The board approved the extension with a unanimous 7-0 vote.
“It’s a privilege,” said Markavitch after the vote.
“We have to have a firm foundation in this district so it is attractive to a number of different candidates. We don’t want to be in a position where people are trying us out,” said Board President Dan D’Lessandro. “I am confident that we can stabilize with Vickie, and I am very happy with the fact that we are able to keep Vickie for another year.”
She took over for Anita Qonja-Collins, former assistant superintendent of elementary instruction, who was named interim superintendent in November.
Qonja-Collins took over for Ken Weaver who went on medical leave November 22, 2022, and then officially resigned Feb. 23.
Markavitch began her tenure on Jan. 9.
Markavitch served as superintendent of Oakland Schools, the county’s intermediate school district, for 11 years (2004-15), and prior to that was superintendent
for three different school districts in Illinois and Indiana.
She has worked as an educational consultant for Pontiac public schools and served as principal, special education teacher and executive director of secondary instruction.
Weaver was appointed as superintendent in March 2022, after former superintendent Tim Throne retired.