1. Tell us about yourself. What is your background?
Born and raised in Greenfield, Ohio
Graduated from Greenfield McClain High School
Received Undergraduate degree from Wilmington College (where he was a three-time national qualifier in wrestling)
Received Masters degree from Ashland University
"Unorthodox path to the superintendent position"
Worked for the State Auditor's office, was a school treasurer, then Superintendent.
Married to wife, Robin, for 38 years
Has 4 children and 9 grandchildren
Owns and runs a hops farm in Highland County
2. What led you to pursue a career in education?
"I became a Treasurer/CFO to run my own accounting office. Quickly realized I enjoy the program management and staff relations side of school operations. Felt I could make a bigger impact in the lives of children by working as a Superintendent. I earned my Masters in Educational Leadership to become a Superintendent."
3. What drew you to Wilmington City School District?
"Wilmington CSD was always known as one of the larger districts in Southern Ohio which had been through cycles of excellence academically and athletically but had also had its struggles. When Mr. Brady announced he was retiring, I was excited to offer my name up to the search organization as an interim candidate. Wilmington is also a short drive from my home, a drive I had made for many years while attending Wilmington College."
4. What are your key priorities for the district in the upcoming months and over the next two years?
"Improved communication, improved student attendance, district financial stability, development of a clear strategic plan for the district, improved student behavior... Those are my top five priorities for the district. Our Strategic Plan is under development now with our planning committee made up of staff, board members, and community members."
5. What do you believe is the most important role of a superintendent?
"The safety of the students and staff is the number one priority for any superintendent. With that said, the most important role to me is to be the Chief Listening Officer. Staff, students, parents, and community members need to feel comfortable talking to the superintendent about concerns. It is my role to listen and to act on those concerns when I can and to develop a trust that endures the times when I cannot."
6. How do you plan to engage with the community, including parents and local organizations?
"Meeting with local officials and attending local events, like the C4 events, are crucial to building relationships. However, the daily phone calls from parents must be answered, talking to staff in the buildings, and attending school events are all very important as well. We will utilize social media to share helpful information about the school and to recognize students and staff. We will not engage in conversation with the community via social media, as it is not a positive atmosphere to discuss important issues. We are currently working with the City of Wilmington, Clinton OMJ, Clinton Family and Children First Council, Wilmington College, Clinton County Resource Center, Mission 1, Clinton Chamber of Commerce, and many other organizations on several initiatives, such as before and after school care programming."
7. How do you plan to address ongoing challenges (bussing, communication, etc)?
"Challenges to our services like bussing, food services and academic services will always be prevalent but they are challenges within our control. We will address them head on and develop plans to alleviate issues we are having. Example, we recently implemented a bus drive incentive program to recruit more drivers. We now have 3 drivers in the process of gaining their CDL. It does take time though to get them through the process. Communication is always a challenge as our audience's attention span is divided among so many different information outlets. It is difficult at times to break your message through the chatter. Consistent messaging will be our focus moving forward highlighting the many accomplishments of our students and staff."
8. What is the end goal with the Strategic Planning Committee? Will there be follow-up with parents and the community that the district is continuing to strive for those goals? Who will oversee that?
"Our goal is to develop a plan that will outline goals, strategies, actions steps, and assignment of those responsible for making sure steps are completed. This will be a multi-year plan that will outlast Board members and Superintendents so we have consistency in our action through times of turnover. A community Dashboard will be available to allow stakeholders the ability to monitor progress toward meeting the plan goals."
9. What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the district right now? What do you see as the biggest success of the district?
"Wilmington City Schools is an amazing school district that has taken several reputational shots over the past few years. I have heard the stories of litter boxes and lunch lady problems, lack of student discipline and various other stories that were not true but are still believed by many in our community. We have many challenges right now but making sure our parents and students grades k-12 appreciate the value of their education by attending every day. Our low attendance rates are a key factor holding us back from reaching the academic goals of the district."
"Wilmington CSD is a district filled with caring staff, students that are proud to be a Hurricane, an accepting environment of all our students, and discipline issued with measured thought and response. It is my hope that our community will be proud when they say Wilmington, home of the Hurricane!"
10. What message would you like to share with students, parents, and staff as you continue your tenure as superintendent?
"We are here to support your child’s educational journey. No matter what career your child may choose, we want our schools to help them on that path."
11. How can the community best support you and the district?
"Participate! Come to Board meetings (last Monday of the Month). Attend plays and ball games. Respond to surveys (we need your feedback). Call if you have questions or concerns (social media posts are just screams in the wind). Believe in your school as strongly as we believe in your children?"