Gupta, 48, and Bobbie Fiori, assistant superintendent at Beavercreek City Schools, were the two finalists for the job temporarily held by Oakwood Director of Educational Services and Human Resources Allyson Couch. Couch was named interim superintendent before Ramey stepped down at the end of 2022.
Gupta “fulfills many of the superintendent characteristics identified through our community and staff surveys, including strong communication skills, a desire to engage with the community, high expectations for students and staff, a belief in servant leadership, an appreciation of the diversity in Oakwood and a commitment to inclusive practices,” Oakwood board President John Wilson said in the announcement.
Gupta will start with Oakwood on Aug. 1, but a reception for him is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Smith school library, according to the school district.
A contract is expected to be approved Wednesday, the district said. The posting for the job stated the annual base salary for the top candidate was expected to be $170,000 to $190,000, but was negotiable and commensurate with experience and qualifications.
“A large reason I am excited to join the Oakwood schools family has been the comprehensive hiring process,” Gupta said in the announcement. “The process allowed me to learn about the school district and community pride for our schools as well as meeting students, staff, and families.”
Gupta has 25 years of experience in education. He earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Miami University and a doctorate in educational leadership from Ashland University.
Starting as a math teacher in 1998, he spent six years in that job before becoming an assistant principal in 2004. Gupta been an administrator for 19 years in Ashland, New Albany and Worthington, where he has worked since 2015.
Fiori and Gupta each met with school district staff and residents in separate sessions last Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, before private sessions with the school board. The board met Thursday night to discuss the choice, records show.
The Oakwood school board initially interviewed eight candidates before narrowing the list to three in a process that drew 23 candidates from six states.
Ramey was Oakwood’s superintendent from 2013 through 2022. He helped continue the district’s reputation for excellent academic performance by students, while at the same time urging people to look at more than test scores in evaluating schools. Prior to coming to Oakwood, Ramey was a teacher, principal and central office administrator for Kettering City Schools for 20 years.
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