Elyria City School District

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ELYRIA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

MEDIA CONTACT Amy Higgins, Director Communications and Marketing (440) 284-8183, Cell: (440) 567-4152 [email protected]

Principals, Supervisors Ready for New Roles with Elyria Schools

June 24, 2015 — Come August, there’ll be a number of new faces in leadership roles at Elyria Schools.

Retirements and resignations have paved the way for new opportunities for long-standing district employees and some new recruits.

Superintendent Paul Rigda will retire July 31 and Dr. Tom Jama will step into the district’s top spot August 1.

Assuming the lead role at Elyria High School on August 1 will be Tim Brown, currently principal at Windsor Elementary School (see press release).

Miranda Roscoe, an assistant principal at Elyria High School (EHS), will take over as principal at Windsor Elementary School August 1. Roscoe was a teacher for Cleveland Metropolitan School District before coming to Elyria Schools in 2006 as an assistant principal at Franklin Elementary School. In 2008, Roscoe was appointed as assistant principal at Ely Elementary School where she served until 2012, when she became assistant principal at EHS.

Jodie Johnson will take the seat that Roscoe is vacating at EHS. Johnson, an Elyria Schools alumnus, was hired in 2007 as a teacher and head volleyball coach at EHS. She’s also served as a MAC Scholars advisor. This is Johnson’s first administrative role, and it begins August 1.

From the biggest kids to the littlest kids, the district also welcomes a new leader at Elyria Early Childhood Village (EECV). Jackie Plantner replaces Robyn Fisher as principal of EECV on August 1. Plantner has extensive experience in early education which is EECV’s specialty. Plantner was a State Support Team/Early Learning and Literacy Specialist prior to coming to Elyria and the executive deputy director at North Olmsted’s Horizon Activity Center before that. A familiar face returns to Elyria’s Special Education Department. Amy Bodnar was an intervention specialist at Westwood Middle School for 15 years before accepting a supervisory role at Murray Ridge School last year. Bodnar is returning to Elyria Schools on August 1 as a special education supervisor.

The Performing Arts Center will see a new manager. Jeffrey R. Simons (J.R.) will replace Jim Nichols as theatre director. Simons is skilled in the arts, having served as theatre and technical director, and drama and musical director at Avon High School since 1999. He also worked as a theatre technician for Cuyahoga Community College, and he is an adjunct instructor of English at Terra State Community College.

Some vacancies are not yet filled.

Elyria Schools Treasurer Katie Henes was hired as treasurer at Avon Local Schools on June 22. The Elyria Board of Education accepted her resignation at a special meeting on June 24. Henes was hired by Elyria Schools in 2004 as the assistant treasurer. She was appointed to the treasurer position in 2014.

Henes said, “The decision to leave the district has not been an easy one. The Elyria School District is a wonderful place that has offered me so many opportunities.

“The district has done amazing things during my time here. The students have always been the number one priority of the leadership team and the Board of Education.

“I wish nothing but the best for the district and I know it will continue to be the outstanding district it has always been.”

The Board will conduct a search for the district’s next treasurer.

Another post yet to fill is the top spot at Crestwood Elementary School. Principal Megan Pacione resigned on June 3. Interviews are being conducted and a new appointment will be announced at a later date.