Reynoldsburg City Schools: Six candidates identified in superintendent search

Stephen Borgna, ThisWeek
·2 min read
The Reynoldsburg City Schools Robert P. Heischman Administrative building is at 7244 East Main St.
The Reynoldsburg City Schools Robert P. Heischman Administrative building is at 7244 East Main St.

Six candidates have been selected to interview for superintendent of Reynoldsburg City Schools to replace Melvin Brown.

The six candidates are:

• Corey Grubbs: area superintendent, Columbus City Schools

• Ron Iarussi: superintendent, Marion City Schools

• Garilee Ogden: superintendent, Groveport Madison Local Schools

• Scott Reeves: executive director of human resources, Westerville City Schools

• Ben Richards: superintendent, Valley View Local Schools (Germantown)

• Sandy Womack: area superintendent, Columbus City Schools

The district will conduct interviews at special board meetings May 18 and May 19 during executive session, the district said in a news release.

Interviews with two finalists are planned for May 23. The district expects to make a selection by May 27 with the new superintendent expected to start Aug. 1.

“The board of education has been extremely impressed with the diverse experience and characteristics of the candidates submitted by Finding Leaders as we work to identify our next superintendent,” board president Debbie Dunlap said in a statement. “We are also very pleased that the identification process values stakeholder feedback, as it is very important that our community of parents, students, staff and local leaders could provide input and be fully engaged in this process with us.”

Finding Leaders is the consultants contracted by the district to lead the search.

The selection of the candidates comes following focus groups conducted throughout the day on May 2 with community stakeholders to gauge the criteria they’d like to see from a new superintendent.

“Through (the board’s) support of nine focus groups which helped form a quality profile for the next superintendent, and school and community stakeholder groups involved in the final interviews, we feel confident Reynoldsburg will find the right fit,” Finding Leaders consultant Ed Vittardi said in a statement. “We strongly believe this significant commitment to engagement will aid the successful candidate to quickly assimilate to the district.”

Brown resigned to become superintendent of Montgomery Public Schools in Montgomery, Alabama.

sborgna@thisweeknews.com

@ThisWeekSteve

This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Reynoldsburg City Schools: Six candidates identified in superintendent search