Delta: 17 apply to lead school district

5/4/2005

DELTA - A familiar name is among the nearly 20 candidates for the superintendent's post in the Pike-Delta-York Local School District.

Robin Rayfield, a former PDY school board member who is now the Swanton Local School District superintendent, has applied for the position. In August, he signed a two-year employment contract with the Swanton board. Mr. Rayfield, of Delta, is a former PDY high school principal.

Resumes for the 17 applicants are expected to be presented to the PDY board during its meeting Tuesday, said John Kaylor, deputy superintendent of the Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center. The center is assisting PDY school officials in the superintendent search process.

Mr. Kaylor plans to have the field of candidates narrowed down to about six by that meeting. Although he will make recommendations on the top candidates, the school board can select any of the candidates for inclusion in the interview process. John Wilhelm, superintendent of the educational service center, is assisting Mr. Kaylor in the screening.

Other candidates are:

Vaughn Thacker of Perrysburg, school improvement consultant with the Lucas County Education Service Center.

Joanne Kerekes, superintendent of Pandora-Gilboa Local School District;

Kenneth Boyer, superintendent of Millcreek-West Unity Local Schools;

Michael Yates Estes, an administrator for 33 years, he is now director of operations for T&D Interiors in Lima;

J. Richard Gieringer, superintendent of Stryker Local School District;

Rodney Jenkins, principal of Battery Creek High School in Beaufort, S.C.;

Deborah Piotrowski of Toledo, elementary school principal in the Washington Local School District;

Paul Blankenship, principal of Jackson Middle School;

Richard Bricker, superintendent of Preble-Shawnee Local Schools, from 2000 to 2005;

Kathleen Cintavey, director of curriculum and instruction for Buckeye Local Schools;

James Craig of Uniontown, Ohio, who has been an administrator and teacher;

Martha Johnson, director of curriculum, assessment, and staff development for Sheffield-Sheffield Lake City Schools;

Gregory Newell, principal of Southeast High School in the Southeast Local School District;

Steven Pritts, lead principal of district transportation for Grovesport Madison School District;

Kenneth Schmiesing, principal with the Buckeye Local Schools,

Timothy Siegfried, principal in the River Valley Local Schools.

Interviews are scheduled for later in May. A committee of representatives from local groups, such as the teachers' union, will do the initial interviews with the PDY board observing. The committee will provide the board information on candidates' strengths and weaknesses. Board members will select candidates for final interviews. A new superintendent could be named during the PDY's June board meeting.

PDY Superintendent Russ Griggs is leaving the district when his one-year contract expires July 31.

Mr. Griggs, who retired as superintendent of Evergreen Local schools before becoming superintendent here, initially had a two-year contract with the PDY district. When he agreed in December, 2003, to stay for another year, he indicated he would leave at the end of the contract.