Cuyahoga Falls City School District names Andrea Celico as new superintendent
The Cuyahoga Falls City School District has named Andrea Celico, former Bedford City Schools superintendent, as its new superintendent.
The board of education on Wednesday unanimously approved a three-year contract with Celico at an annual salary of $140,000. She will take over as superintendent effective Aug. 1.
“I am honored and humbled to have been selected as the Superintendent of the Cuyahoga Falls School District," said Celico. "I am excited to begin this new adventure in such an amazing community. I want to thank the board of education, the staff, and community for their warm welcome, support and confidence. It already feels like home.”
The board earlier this month whittled down its list of candidates to four. A total of 26 people had applied for the job. Interviews with the four finalists took place on March 19.
Board of Education President Anthony Gomez said Celico distinguished herself in the interviews with both the board and the other stakeholder groups.
Celico “stood out not only to the board of education but also to all three of the groups that interviewed her, which included parents, staff and community members,” Gomez said.
Celico is a consultant to the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and, prior to that, was superintendent of Bedford City Schools from 2015 through January this year. Before working in Bedford, Celico was the assistant superintendent of educational services in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District.
Celico also spent 17 years as a teacher, assistant principal, principal and assistant superintendent in the Euclid City School District.
She will succeed Todd Nichols, who resigned for the purpose of retirement effective Dec. 31. Nichols had been the district superintendent since 2011.
Russell Chaboudy, former Coventry Local Schools superintendent and a 1974 graduate of Cuyahoga Falls High School, is being paid $525 a day as interim superintendent through July 31.
Gomez said the board will begin discussing a transition process and later vote on per diem days for Celico. There will also be a meet-and-greet event with district stakeholders where Celico will introduce herself and announce a 100-day plan.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cuyahoga Falls district offers superintendent job to Andrea Celico
