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North will take over a growing Beavercreek district

Beavercreek school board expected to hire North at tonight’s meeting.

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By Christopher Magan, Staff Writer 2:03 AM Thursday, July 2, 2009

BEAVERCREEK — When North takes over for superintendent, he’ll enter a district ranked excellent by the state that is trying to serve a constantly growing student population.

Beavercreek has nearly 8,000 students — 3,000 more than the Lebanon school district he is leaving — and is growing rapidly.

The district is in the initial steps of building and renovating schools to house its students after voters approved an $84 million bond issue last fall.

Those voters had rejected two larger requests.

Richard Eckhardt, school board president, said North is very familiar with the construction project to help ease overcrowding in the growing district and should be able to easily step into the leadership role.

“We should have a good transition,” Eckhardt said.

Beavercreek’s notoriety for excellence across Ohio convinced North to apply for the position.

“It’s a great opportunity,” he said. “The district and the leadership there has a strong reputation. It’s a chance to follow in the footsteps of a superintendent with a great reputation.”

North was chosen in a national search that yielded a pool of 11 applicants to replace Morrison, who is leaving after seven years in the district.

Morrison is leaving to take an assistant principal post in nearby Fairborn because, he said, he wanted to get back to working closely with “kids.”

North was chosen over Larry Hook, a Springboro assistant superintendent, who also was a finalist.

North has been an administrator at districts throughout Ohio before coming to Lebanon in 2006.

When he arrived, the Warren County district was in financial turmoil. North helped right the ship, said Chip Bonny, a Lebanon school board member.

“He’s done a good job,” Bonny said. “He came in at a tough time. He’s been an integral person in getting the district’s finances turned around. It’s certainly a loss. We hate to see him go.”

North has also helped Lebanon keep its excellent state report card rating, a designation the district shares with Beavercreek.

North will earn a $139,000 salary when he takes over in Beavercreek on Aug. 1.

School officials spent much of Wednesday, July 1, finalizing his contract and are expected to vote to officially hire North when they meet tonight, July 2.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2342 or cmagan @DaytonDailyNews.com.

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To "no you dent'it" You are right on. The Chipster is the last person that should be interviewed regarding Lebanon or Mr. North.
He is either absent, late, on his cell phone and offers little or no input at board meetings. He always rubber stamps the agenda items. The problem in the search is that they all apply for all openings. All are former teachers and they all have the same ideas. The law needs to mandate an experienced financial expert sit in the superintendents position.

Lucy
7:14 PM, 7/2/2009

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I will say it again, this guy is the best that a national search committee could find??? Looks like Beavercreek needs a new search committee. Then again, he needs to be someone that the school board can dominate and is weak so it looks like they found the right guy. Waqtch out Beavercreek, more levies will be on the way.

no you dent'it
9:02 AM, 7/2/2009

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