Superintendent S Biography

Superintendent’s Biography

Michael E. Zalar, Ph.D.

Dr. Zalar is the 15th Superintendent of the North Olmsted City School District in North Olmsted, Ohio. The district was formed in 1909.

Before becoming Superintendent in August of 2013, he served five years as the Superintendent of the Oregon City School District in Oregon, Ohio. His teaching and leadership experience encompasses high school and junior high school including both academic and career and technical education programs.

He began his career teaching social studies at White Oak Jr. High and Aiken High School in Cincinnati before returning to northwest Ohio to teach at North Baltimore High School. He then accepted a teaching position at Penta Career Center, where he was promoted into vocational supervision and administration.

He left Penta to become the Principal at Patrick Henry High School in Hamler, Ohio. Dr. Zalar served there four years before accepting the Principal position at Clay High School in Oregon, Ohio. He served five years as the Principal at Clay before being promoted to Superintendent of the Oregon City Schools.

His educational background includes an Associate Degree in Architectural Engineering from Owens Community College; a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography and Planning from the University of Toledo; a Master’s Degree in Teaching from Miami University, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Bowling Green State University.

Dr. Zalar has travelled extensively, studying the educational systems of numerous countries around the world. He was selected to participate in the Fulbright-Hays Fellowship program which enabled him to travel to Africa for five weeks in 2005 to study the educational system of Tanzania. He was also selected to participate in the Oxford Roundtable program for scholars hosted at Oxford University in England. More recently, Dr. Zalar has travelled to China and South Korea to study their schools.

Dr. Zalar has been married to his wife Donna for thirty years. They recently celebrated their wedding anniversary and renewed their vows on the island of Maui in Hawaii. Donna is currently the Technology Director for Lake Local Schools. Together they have five children. His oldest son Alex is a math teacher at Loyola Academy in Chicago, Illinois. Noelle, his oldest daughter recently finished a two year tour with the Peace Corps and now resides in Lakewood. Paul is a junior at the United States Air Force Academy majoring in Mechanical Engineering. Elana is a senior at the University of Toledo and Teddy is a senior in high school. Teddy recently earned his Eagle Scout Award and plans to attend college to become a teacher after graduation. Dr. Zalar enjoys all types of sports (especially golf and tennis) as well as reading and travelling. He and his family are active members in their church. Dr. Zalar continues to be impressed with the vision, dedication, commitment and personal touch of the people who are the North Olmsted City Schools.

He is especially proud and excited to be a part of the North Olmsted team and looks forward to working together with the teachers, administrators, students, parents and staff to make the North Olmsted City Schools a premier learning community in northeast Ohio.