Multiple central Ohio school districts welcome new superintendents
See previous coverage of now-formal superintendent of Westerville in the video player above.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – As of Friday, all central Ohio public schools are back in session, and some districts are welcoming more than new students.
Both Westerville and South-Western school districts selected a new superintendent over the summer, and Pickerington Local School District will be searching for a new face after the summer retirement announcement of its current superintendent, Chris Briggs.
Briggs announced he will retire Jan. 31, a year and a half to the day before his contract was scheduled to end. Pickerington Board of Education President Clay Lopez said the district has no updates at this time regarding its search. Briggs said in his announcement he will help the district in its transition, which is just five months away.
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Westerville City Schools’ Board of Education selected Angela S. Hamburg as its superintendent July 8, less than a year after her predecessor joined the district. Joseph Clark began as Westerville superintendent Oct 1, 2023, but resigned five months later after he was accused of using district resources for outside work.
Hamburg stepped in as the interim superintendent before she was officially hired this summer for $235,000 annually. She began working in the interim role March 5, with Clark as an adviser.
Westerville Board of Education President Kristy Meyer said she had stepped in to help district leaders with the development of a strategic plan as early as three days into her interim role, citing the experience as an example of her being a fit for the district.
“She’s hit the ground running, she’s very collaborative and willing to roll up her sleeves,” Meyer said.
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Randy Banks began his term even more recently, assuming the role of South-Western City Schools superintendent Aug. 1 with a contracted $265,000 salary. Banks began his administrative career at SWCSD, and South-Western City School District’s Executive Director of Communication Evan Debo said the district has been grateful to welcome Banks back to the district.
Debo said Banks has been working to reacquaint himself with SWCSD this summer through administrative retreats and new staff onboarding.
Debo said Banks’ first day of school as superintendent welcomed 21,000 students and 2,800 staff members back to the district. Banks visited nine of SWCSD’s 31 schools before 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, the first day of classes, Debo said.
“As he was being introduced in a second grade gym class at Darby Woods Elementary School, students were prompted to engage in a context clues-based live inquiry about who he might be,” Debo said. “After the teacher introduced him as Mr. Banks, one student thought he definitely worked at a local bank. This is just one of several great anecdotes from what has been a successful (first day).”
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