Mark Murphy taking on a new role

ZOARVILLE — Former Superintendent Mark Murphy is taking on a new role in the Tuscarawas Valley Local School District. He was given a three-year contract as Director of Operations, effective Aug. 1. He has served the district as superintendent for over 17 years.

The board approved the transition of district leadership to Superintendent Derek Varansky, effective Aug. 1. He was given a three-year contract.

As Director of Operations, Murphy, will remain as a member of the district’s leadership team. In addition to serving as executive coach to Varanasky, in his first year as superintendent, he will oversee all aspects of construction projects, district safety, and emergency management plans, as well as capital improvements. Murphy believes it was time to initially and strategically pass the leadership baton to Varransky.

“As I reflect on these years of my career as Superintendent, it has been astonishing because of the boards of education I have served under. The current board members — Amy Burrier, Dick Gooding, Katy Johnson, Ben Overton, and Sally Green and past board members, Susan Kaschak, Gooding, Green, and the late Chuck Knaack, and Neil Buchanan — they have been top notch,” Murphy said,” I am thankful for my leadership teams. Names and faces have changed, but I have been blessed to lead these individuals.

“Our focus is on the kids and community. I bleed red and black, and what it represents.”

There are about 1,250 to 1,300 students in the district.

In May of 2021, a groundbreaking ceremony was held to construct a new high school/middle school on district-owned land located at 2633 Tusky Valley Rd. NE. The new school will house students in grades 7-12. The current middle school will be remodeled into a pre-kindergarten to sixth-grade building. Grades 5 and 6 will take up residence in the current high school for a year until the middle school is renovated as an elementary campus. A portion of the current high school will remain to be used for the district. The new 7-12 building is expected to be completed in 2023. The renovations of the current middle school are expected to be completed in 2024.

Murphy said the approximate cost of the project is $45 million. It is a co-funded state project which is 61 percent from the state and 39 percent from the district. The district is also moving forward with the construction of an auditorium that will seat 500 and will be state of the art. It is considered a Locally Funded Initiative and must be constructed from local funds. The district is currently accepting donations for the auditorium.

Hammond Construction is the construction manager and Lesko Associates is the architect for the project. It will be the district’s responsibility to demolish both the Intermediate School at Bolivar and the Primary School at Mineral City. Murphy said he is encouraging the villages to indicate how they want to use the space, once the schools are not longer there.

In 2014 Treasurer Mark Phillips approached Murphy informing him that Rover Pipeline would be installing a pipeline through the district. That would allow for a new school to be constructed without asking the community to support a bond issue. The district could collect utility tax from Rover and every penny would be placed in a fund toward the new facilities project.

Murphy said he is thankful for Marie and the late Ray Reed, who sold 20 acres of land to the district at a cost of about $100,000. Ground was also purchased from the Reed family before the current high school/middle school was constructed.

“It is because of this couple, we are able to construct this facility and bring all the students to one campus,” Murphy said.

In 1955 the board voted to consolidate five independently operated school systems into one, uniting the district. In January 1956, the county board of education officially consolidated the townships and villages of Bolivar, Lawrence, Fairfield, Mineral City and New Cumberland-Warren Township, and Zoar and appointed a new board of education to lead the new school district. The first official meeting of the board was Jan. 10, 1956. The new district began classes on Sept. 4, 1961 in the new high school. It cost $1 million to construct the building.

Murphy was hired as interim superintendent, July 1, 2005, following the retirement of Robert Bowden, and was awarded a three-year contract Aug. 1, 2005 as superintendent.

Murphy graduated from New Philadelphia High in 1986. After working for a year as a bank teller, he entered Akron University in the fall of 1987 and earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. He was employed in several school districts and came to the Tuscarawas Valley School District from Green School District.

Murphy is excited about his new role in the district. He said it was time for him to step down.

“I believe there is a quiet nudging which lets us know 'it is time.' I still believe God has much in store, not only for me, my career, and my family but also for the future of the school district,” he said.

Murphy and his wife, Tammy, reside in Bolivar with their two children. Emma will be a freshman at Kent State University and Aaron a sophomore at Tuscarawas Valley High.

For Murphy the dream continues for the students and community in the Tuscarawas Valley Local School District.

Together it will happen.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Mark Murphy taking on a new role at Tusky Valley