Jason Lundin
By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
SCOTTVILLE — The Mason County Central School District Board of Education will interview four candidates for the superintendent position this week. Among them is Jason Lundin.
From 2024 to 2025, Lundin served as superintendent of Beal City Public Schools. His departure from the district followed a public outcry over his leadership style.
Initially, Lundin received high marks from the district’s school board. He was hired in March 2024. In December 2024, the Mt. Pleasant Morning Sun reported the board had given him a “nearly perfect” evaluation. He received a 97% score in his first evaluation, resulting in his contract being extended to June 30, 2028.
Lundin’s performance was rated across five areas of professional practice — governance and board relations, community relations, staff relations, business and finance, and instructional leadership — according to the article, which quoted school board President Denise McBride.
However, six months later, public sentiment had shifted.
During a June 5, 2025, board of education meeting, a crowd of district residents, parents and teachers filled the Beal City High School gymnasium to express concerns about Lundin.
“Emotions ran high during the special meeting as those choosing to speak out against Superintendent Jason Lundin stood at a podium in front of the Beal City Board of Education, telling stories of lack of communication and trust, fear of retaliation and being fired, and other issues they say they’ve faced since Lundin was hired last year,” the Morning Sun reported.
One of the main points of controversy was the potential firing of elementary principal Jason Johnston. Supporters, including teachers and family members, said they felt “targeted” by Lundin.
Hailey Ketchen, a 2025 graduate of Beal City High School, said Lundin and Johnston disagreed on some issues and that Lundin was threatening to fire him.
Some staff members also alleged poor communication, a toxic environment for students and staff, and attempts by Lundin to limit communication between students and school counselors.
Ketchen also said Lundin was allegedly trying to start a for-profit preschool that would take away from the district’s Title programs.
Those who spoke at the meeting cited lack of communication and trust, fear of retaliation and termination, and other concerns since Lundin became superintendent, the Morning Sun reported.
A petition with 368 signatures was later presented to the board calling for Lundin’s termination.
Two weeks later, on June 17, 2025, the board met in closed session with its attorney and chose to part ways with Lundin.
Before that meeting, several parents, staff, graduates and others gathered outside the high school to protest Lundin’s alleged targeting of Carl D. Mayes Elementary Principal Jason “Jake” Johnston, the Morning Sun reported.
In a separation agreement, the board agreed to pay Lundin $200,000 in severance.
According to the Morning Sun, Lundin voluntarily resigned and “acknowledges and understands that his voluntary resignation from employment with the board may be presented by the district to oppose any petition, claim or application by him for receipt of unemployment compensation benefits, as evidence of his voluntary resignation from employment without cause attributable to the board.”
Lundin is currently an academic coordinator with Lansing School District. Prior to Beal City, he served as director of academics at Chippewa Hills, overseeing curriculum alignment, instruction, programming and staffing. He also served as a middle school principal, assistant athletic director, math teacher, grant coordinator, coach and district coordinator of Multi-Tiered System of Supports.
Johnston, the elementary principal who was center of the conflict with Lundin remains employed at Beal City. A new superintendent was hired by the school board by late August 2025.
Lundin did not respond to two MCP email requests for his resume and photograph. His resume was provided by the Michigan Leadership Institute.
He is one of four candidates for the Mason County Central superintendent position and is scheduled to be interviewed by the school board Tuesday at 5 p.m.
___________________________
Please Support Local News and Sports Coverage
Receive daily MCP and OCP news briefings along with email news alerts for $10 a month. Your contribution will help us to continue to provide you with free local news.
The payment can be paid monthly through PayPal: Click this link.
To sign up for an annual subscription, email editor@mediagroup31.com. In the subject line write: Subscription. Please supply your name, email address, mailing address, and phone number (indicate cell phone). We will not share your information with any outside sources.
For more than one email address in a household, the cost is $15 per month per email address.
We can send you an invoice for a yearly payment of $120, which you can conveniently pay online or by check. If you are interested in this method, please email editor@mediagroup31.com and we can sign you up. You can also mail a yearly check for $120 to Media Group 31, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454 (please include your email address).
Payment must be made in advance prior to subscription activation.
We appreciate all our readers regardless of whether they choose to continue to access our service for free or with a monthly financial support.
_____
This story and original photography are copyrighted © 2026, all rights reserved by Media Group 31, LLC, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454. No portion of this story or images may be reproduced in any way, including print or broadcast, without expressed written consent.
As the services of Media Group 31, LLC are news services, the information posted within the sites are archivable for public record and historical posterity. For this reason it is the policy and practice of this company to not delete postings. It is the editor’s discretion to update or edit a story when/if new information becomes available. This may be done by editing the posted story or posting a new “follow-up” story. Media Group 31, LLC or any of its agents have the right to make any changes to this policy. Refer to Use Policy for more information.
.png)
