Rossford school board picks 2 finalists for superintendent

2/20/2013

The Rossford Board of Education has narrowed its search for superintendent of Rossford Exempted Village Schools to two.

Daniel Creps, principal of Perrysburg’s Woodland Elementary, and Deborah Piotrowski, superintendent of Xenia Community Schools, were chosen after a lengthy closed board meeting Saturday, board President Dawn Burks said. Not selected were Joseph Taylor, Maumee City Schools’ director of special education and student services, and Toledo Public School’s Chief Academic Officer Jim Gault.

Both Mr. Creps and Ms. Piotrowski have ties to Rossford. Mr. Creps grew up in Rossford, and Ms. Burks said Ms. Piotrowski has family in the city. Ms. Burks called the decision difficult.

“Those were the two we felt were best fits for Rossford,” she said.

Mr. Creps has been principal at Woodland since 2007. Before that, he was employed in the Sylvania district, with stints as principal, assistant principal, and teacher.

Ms. Piotrowski has run the Xenia district since 2010, and before that was superintendent of the Millcreek West Unity School District. She also has served as principal and teacher in the Washington Local school district, and as a Toledo Public teacher.

Mr. Gault, second-in-command at Toledo Public Schools, called his bid for the Rossford position a good opportunity, but said he also feels the Toledo district is “on the cusp of something big,” and that he would like to follow through with that progress.

The Toledo Public Schools’ superintendent position will open up this summer when Jerome Pecko’s contract expires. Mr. Gault said he has not thought much about whether he will seek the position, but hopes the Toledo Board of Education at least considers internal candidates. He said he hopes whoever they hire will embrace the direction the district has taken in recent years.

Rossford will hold a forum Tuesday for community members to meet the two finalists. A candidate will tour the district on that day, while the other will tour the next day. A time and place for the community forum has yet to be decided.