Superintendent Leadriane Roby Recommends Contract Not Be Renewed for Dr. Brandy Lovelady Mitchell

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids Public Schools Superintendent Leadriane Roby has recommended that the school board not renew the contract of Deputy Superintendent Dr. Brandy Lovelady Mitchell when it expires on June 30, citing longstanding concerns about her leadership style and management approach.

In letters sent to the GRPS School Board in March, Superintendent Roby recommended that Mitchell's contract not be renewed after its expiration date, following an unsuccessful improvement plan that was designed to address concerns about her supervisory methods.

"I continue to have concerns regarding her leadership and management style," Roby wrote in the letter to the board. "Following the completion of that training and mentoring, there have been additional complaints regarding her supervision of the departments that fall under the scope of her direct supervision as well as other departments within GRPS."

Investigation Dates Back to 2024

The issues surrounding Mitchell date back to a 2024 investigation that found her leadership style and interaction with staff had a detrimental impact on district employees. At that time, instead of termination, Roby placed Mitchell on an improvement plan that included:

• Leadership training
• Mentoring with outside consultants
• Coaching
• Regular check-ins

Despite this comprehensive plan, the district continued to receive complaints about Mitchell's leadership, according to Roby's letter.

"The improvement plan has been unsuccessful. As such, it is my decision to recommend non-renewal," Roby wrote to the board of education.

Mitchell Currently on Administrative Leave

Mitchell was placed on administrative leave on March 12 as she awaits the board's decision. She will be able to meet with the board of education to discuss Roby's recommendation at the upcoming April 27 Board meeting. The meeting item has been moved from the originally scheduled April 13 date.

"Our district is committed to transparency, which is why we are sharing this information promptly with our staff. Because this is a personnel matter, the district cannot comment further on the circumstances surrounding her leave," Superintendent Roby stated in a letter to staff.

Widespread Administrative Leave at GRPS

This story comes amid a broader pattern of administrative leaves at GRPS. According to a recent WZZM13 report, four people employed as principals or higher are on paid administrative leave as of April 2, most as a result of investigations.

The four employees include:

• Charlie Lovelady — Alger Middle School principal, placed on leave Feb. 6 after being jailed for violating his drunk driving probation
• Molly Ali — Coit Creative Arts Academy interim principal, placed on leave Feb. 26
• Bridget Cheney — Chief Area Instructional Leader for the Southeast Quadrant, placed on leave in March
• Brandy Lovelady Mitchell — Deputy Superintendent, placed on leave March 11

The combined total of paid administrative leave for these four employees is estimated at approximately $213,794 by June 30.

Mitchell's Extensive Education Background

Before becoming deputy superintendent, Mitchell has an extensive background in education. She started her career as a school counselor and also served as a guidance classroom teacher, consultant, and principal.

Mitchell was honored with a Scholar of Excellence award and Educator to Watch award from Eastern Michigan University. She also serves on the Michigan Advisory Committee of the US Commission on Civil Rights and was elected to the Grand Rapids Community College Board of Trustees in 2020.

Next Steps

The upcoming April 27 Board of Education meeting will vote on Superintendent Roby's recommendation. Mitchell has the opportunity to request a closed session due to the nature of the meeting.

The board will have to approve Roby's recommendation not to renew Mitchell's contract. Superintendent Roby sent separate letters informing Mitchell of the recommendation as well as notifying the school board.

"The district is committed to transparency, which is why we are sharing this information promptly with our staff," Superintendent Roby said in the letter to staff.

This story has been reported by WZZM13, WXMI, and local news outlets.

Sources

• https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news/local/grps-superintendent-recommends-non-renewal-of-administrators-contract/69-e806c85d-a908-4057-99c6-284da6588eab
• https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news/local/four-top-earners-on-administrative-leave/69-dc1392d7-9e89-4fd5-a28e-1e0189e7f368
• https://www.woodtv.com/news/grand-rapids/detrimental-impact-grps-superintendent-moves-to-oust-administrator/
• https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15702405/grand-rapids-school-district-boss-fired.html
• https://woodradio.iheart.com/featured/wood-radio-local-news/content/2026-04-02-grps-deputy-superintendent-likely-out