Principal DeTour Arts and Technology Academy/DeTour Area Schools

Athletic Director of Cedarville-DeTour Athletic Collaborative

Spencer Byrd was approved by the DeTour School Board during the June board meeting and will be taking on the responsibility of being the Principal for DeTour Arts and Technology Academy and DeTour Area Schools.  Mr. Byrd will also be assuming the responsibility of leading the new first-year athletic cooperative between Cedarville and DeTour high school buildings.   Mr. Byrd officially began this position on July 1, 2021. 

Spencer Byrd is a native of Michigan and is excited to return to his home state after more than thirty years of public education experience in Illinois.  Spencer graduated from Jackson Northwest High School in 1986 and attended Olivet College, graduating from Olivet in 1991.  Spencer played football, basketball, and baseball while at Northwest.  Spencer excelled at high school football, earning All-State honors his senior year.  After graduating from NW, he went onto play football for Olivet, earning the Defensive MVP award during both his junior and senior years and was named to the MIAA All-Conference football team his senior year.  Spencer also played semi-football for several years for three different teams in the Michigan Semi-Pro Football League after graduating from Olivet.  

Shortly after graduating from Olivet College, Spencer took his first teaching position in Illinois and began his educational career.  He taught high school Business Education classes for a total of thirteen years while simultaneously coaching high school varsity football, basketball, and baseball each year.  Spencer earned his Masters Degree in Education Administration from Northeastern Illinois University in 2005 and began his administrative career as a high school Athletic Director and Assistant Principal.  After four years as an AD/AP, Spencer moved onto a new role as a Building Principal and during this time as a BP, five years, Spencer earned an Education Specialist Degree from Western Illinois University, graduating in 2014.  For the past six years, Spencer has been a Unit School District Superintendent for two small rural school districts in Illinois and he just completed the CSBO (Chief School Business Official) public finance course work at University of Illinois-Springfield, passing the state endorsement test in June of 2021.  Spencer started a Doctoral Degree in Education Administration last year and has set the goal to complete his dissertation and degree requirements by the end of the 2023 school year.  His dissertation topic will be Public Education - Transformation Leadership.

After thirty years in public education within the state of Illinois, Spencer is glad to return to his home state of Michigan, "I am the youngest of eight children and all of my brothers and sisters, and their children, are still active in the area and I have a lot of friends from my Northwest and Olivet days that live in the northern Michigan area as well so I look forward to reconnecting with them all and spending some quality time together.  We, my wife Jennifer and sons Brock and Trent, have been discussing retiring from Illinois and moving back to Michigan to start a second public education career in Michigan for several years now.  When this opportunity presented itself, it seemed to be an excellent fit and the right time.  In addition, throughout the interview process, and since I have started meeting folks at all three buildings this past week at Drummond, DeTour, and Cedarville buildings, everyone has been extremely kind and welcoming and that is what ultimately sold me on this opportunity.  I am excited to get started as the new Principal and AD and my family is excited to become a part of the community and explore all that the UP has to offer."

Mr. Vaught, the Superintendent of DeTour Area Schools and DeTour Arts and Technology Academy as well as the boards of education for both districts, and the staffs are glad to have Spencer and his family as part of the school team and look forward to having them in our hallways.  If you happen to see Spencer and or his family, please feel free to introduce yourself and welcome them to our outstanding community and school family.