Mr. Simeck was attracted to Berkley because of the District's strong reputation.  He and his wife, Mari, were also interested in raising their children, Gabrielle, Max, and Lilia in a more urban area with diverse cultures.  Mr. Simeck has moved his family into the district and enrolled his children in Berkley Schools.

Since becoming superintendent, Mr. Simeck has placed particular focus on his community involvement including holding regular "Community Coffees" and hosting a number of District-wide presentations for specific speakers and topics.  Community presenters include Dr. Yong Zhao speaking on globalization and Jeff Scott presenting "Berkley's Brand".  Other District presentations have included topics such as budget and bond proposals.  His involvement and encouragement of the PTSA Council to become more involved in academic matters has resulted in a series of District-wide initiatives such as Parent University (special speakers address topics such as Love and Logic, Saving for College, and many others), Festifall (students and staff wear the college t-shirt or sweatshirt of their choice), Middle School Job Shadowing, and Passports (elementary students use Michigan "Passports" to chronicle their experiences).

When asked what particular points of pride he would point to, Mr. Simeck states, "One of our community benchmarks of excellence is our students' success rate at the University of Michigan.  This year, 39 of 53 applicants or 74% have already been accepted which is up from 70% last year.  We have placed significant emphasis on gaining greater access for our students to all forms of post-secondary education.  We have completely updated our Berkley High School profile, sent our seniors' counselor to national college conferences thanks to the PTSA Council, and begun March Madness where we invite colleges, trade schools, and others to BHS to help give students a greater vision of their future.  These things have been enormously successful thanks to the hard work of our teachers and staff."

Mr. Simeck has spent a significant amount of time studying or working abroad.  His studies at the Goethe Institute in West Germany and the Université Paris X in France, coupled with his experiences as a Fulbright assistant in Germany and his participation in the Fulbright Administrative Exchange in England have strongly influenced his leadership focus in the Berkley School District.  He is completing his Doctorate in Educational Administration and sees the role of superintendent as "first learner" of the district.