Schmiesing named new Celina schools superintendent

CELINA - The school district hired a new superintendent just in time for the fast-approaching school year.

At a special meeting on Wednesday, Celina City Schools Board of Education members unanimously voted to approve the hiring of Dr. Ken Schmiesing for the position. The decision came after a 10-minute executive session.

Schmiesing, 55, who attended the meeting with his wife, begins his two-year contract Aug. 1. His annual salary will be $85,000.

Schmiesing, a Minster native, said he is thrilled to be returning to the area. When he learned of the opening in Celina through a posting on the Ohio School Board Association website, he was immediately interested, he said.

"Coming to the city of Celina, there's nothing better. I don't know if there could be a better choice across the state of Ohio," Schmiesing said.

He noted that he admires the community for its unity. He said that while at the Celina Lake Festival and IC Church Festival this year with his wife, a New Bremen native, they were struck by how well people came together to support community activities.

Schmiesing said he also saw the commitment the community has to the schools during the interview process, which he described as extensive and thorough.

Schmiesing previously worked as the special education supervisor and principal of Independence Education Center at the Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center, Defiance. He has served as head of school at the Virtual Schoolhouse of Cleveland. He also was a principal at Toledo Preparatory and Fitness Academy, Sandusky Central Catholic, Buckeye Local Schools, Miami East Local Schools and Russia Local Schools.

He earned a doctorate in educational leadership from NOVA Southeastern University, a master's degree in educational leadership from the University of Dayton, and a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Wright State University.

As superintendent, Schmiesing plans to establish a few guiding principals.

"There's no question that I want to be visible in the community, visible in the schools. I think it's important as the school leader that you are visible, that you're easy to access," Schmiesing said.

He also stressed the importance of keeping students first in any decision-making process and his belief in cooperative work efforts.

Several important projects are on the district's horizon. The board hopes to renovate or replace the district's seven buildings and is developing building plans to show area voters. Additionally, the proposed Tri Star 2.0 project would consolidate Tri Star Career Compact programs to one building.

Schmiesing also must contend with ongoing contract negotiations with the Celina Education Association. On Monday, a federal mediator was requested to aid in negotiations after the board and the teachers' union reached an impasse.

"His (Schmiesing's) skill-set was well-suited to these projects," board member Amy Hoyng noted.

She added that she admired his integrity and felt that he would bring "a real team effort to the community."

Board member Matt Gilmore said he was very excited about Schmiesing's hiring.

"His qualifications speak for themselves. I think he'll be a great influence on the district," Gilmore said.

Board president Connie Paulus said she believes Schmiesing will bring a strong commitment to teamwork to the district and community.

"He'll be a great leader for the team," she said. "He's a community-minded individual and he'll do the best for our district and our kids. He'll be good for both the school and the community."

Two other candidates were interviewed for the job but were eliminated in the first round. They included Roger Cade II, principal of Edgerton Junior/Senior High School, Edgerton, and David Bartoe, director of education at Lockland Local Schools, Cincinnati.

Paulus said the candidates were good at their jobs but were not the right fit for the Celina district.

Schmiesing will replace Jesse Steiner, who served as superintendent for the past three years. He announced his resignation in June and will become superintendent at Northwestern Local School District near Springfield on Saturday.

The board also approved the hiring of Clinton Hirschfeld as high school assistant principal. Hirschfeld's three-year contract begins Aug. 1. He previously was a science teacher at the high school.

The board also approved one-year contracts for Kelsey Place, speech and language pathologist at the high/middle/primary schools, Katherine Dirksen as high school science teacher, and Hayden Heiby as high school intervention specialist.