New superintendent for Orrville City Schools could be named in March

Shams Mustafa
·3 min read

Newly elected Orrville City School board members, Megan Middleton and Jamie Kovacs, took their oaths Wednesday, succeeding Wayne Steiner and Sue Corfman.

The board appointed Pat Lorson as president and Sasha Stark as vice president, marking a shift in leadership dynamics.

Board members are looking into making some changes in the school board meetings that include having the meetings on every third Tuesday of the month, which can be subject to change. In addition, they are looking into modifying the public participation policy.

Megan Middleton, left, and Jamie Kovacs were sworn in as Orrville City Schools board members during the organizational meeting Wednesday
Megan Middleton, left, and Jamie Kovacs were sworn in as Orrville City Schools board members during the organizational meeting Wednesday

Superintendent search update; applications due Feb. 2

The superintendent search continues with the help of the Ohio Schools Board Association.

The superintendent position was listed on the Orrville Schools website in late December. As a part of parent engagement, the board conducted an online survey and sent it to parents and guardians to get their input.

The board received 104 responses about what qualifications they look for in a superintendent and what are the top issues they want the superintendent to address.

There will be a focus group discussion led by Cheryl Ryan, director of board and management services at the OSBA. The discussion is open to the public and will be at 6 p.m. Jan. 25 at Orrville High School.

“Our timeline is that applications are due Feb. 2 and the decision will be made by early March,” said Mark Dickerhoof, Orrville District treasurer.

Concerns about bullying, school calendar

In public participation, Darrell Mosley offered to collaborate with board members, school teachers, students and administration to empower the student body and create an accountability tone throughout the district.

“I feel we're struggling with student leaders within,” Mosley said.

Mosley suggests creating a team that develops ideas and solutions to address school issues.

“I feel that this will address and make an impact on our bullying situation, it’ll lift the voices of the student body, also the voices of teachers,” he said.

Two parents shared concerns about the 2024 academic calendar.

“I'm not in favor of cutting our school year,” Lorson said. “It's difficult to understand how you're going to have academic achievement if the kids are not in school if you have fewer days with teachers.”

Interim Superintendent Brent Lanz said the district has been following the protocol of 178 school days for the past several years. The proposed calendar has the option to either start Aug. 15 or Aug. 19.

“Those were the two options that were presented at this point. If changed from that, there are serious things to be considered in that change,” Lanz said.

On the other hand, Kovacs said the three-day difference won’t matter in the academic achievement, but will matter in family time.

“If you look at other school calendars around here, they don't go back as many hours and their academics are great. Smithville is one example,” Kovacs said.

The board tabled the motion to have more time to review it and get more input from parents and teachers.

In other board matters:

  • Fall test scores reveal a commendable increase in proficiency among third-grade students. The results showed that 62% of the third grade students are proficient compared to 41% last fall. “The average test score for our students was 707, we were above the state average for all the testing categories,” Orrville Elementary Principal Ashley Millsaps said.

  • Orrville Middle School and Orrville High School arranged an anti-bullying assembly for Jan.24.

  • Lanz acknowledged the board members' efforts as a part of School Board Recognition Month. “We know that there's a lot of reading and research time and phone calls that goes on behind just these monthly meetings, but appreciate your dedication and representation for your community,” he said.

  • The board accepted three donations from the Willard E. Smucker Foundation that will go to: $6,000 for the Elementary Music Program and Character Education, $3,000 for the high school band and $3,000 for the Earth Science Club.

The next meeting is at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20, at Orrville High School Library.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Orrville board hears calendar concerns, superintendent update