Edinger named as East Holmes superintendent
A Tri-County School District principal with 28 years experience in education was named the new East Holmes School District superintendent Friday, June 3.
Joe Edinger, Shreve Elementary principal, will begin a two year contract as East Holmes’s top administrator August 1. Edinger was named superintendent by the board of education in a special meeting Friday.
Edinger brings seven years of teaching experience and 21 years as a principal. His first job as a teacher was with the West Holmes School District in 1983 after graduating from Bluffton College. He obtained his administration degree in 1989 and has been principal at Shreve since 1992, having worked as a principal for Northwestern from 1990-1992.
His transition to superintendent began shortly after the school board’s vote. Superintendent Joe Wengerd and Edinger attended several meetings together Friday before returning to the district offices in the afternoon.
Edinger said he met with some familiar faces Friday. He has worked with East Holmes faculty through his time with the Holmes County Office of Education, and has shared experience with many through the profession.
Edinger said he knows he has a strong foundation to work with going in.
“It’s a great school district with solid proven leaders and a strong community,” Edinger said. “There’s a reason they are an excellent district; there are people working hard every day. In my conversations with the school board during the interview process I shared my vision and goals as maintaining that level of excellence.”
The contract approved by the board June 3 includes 25 days where Edinger will serve as assistant to the superintendent. He will work in the East Holmes District through June and July while carrying out his remaining responsibilities as principal at Shreve.
Of that time, 15 days will be spent with Wengerd, who is retiring June 30. Wengerd said he feels he is leaving administration of the district in good hands.
“Joe is a person that has a lot of energy, a lot of ‘need to know’,” Wengerd said. “A lot of people might sit back and watch things as they go. He’s been asking a lot of questions, but he listens. He’s a fellow who has an opinion, but he listens as well.”
Among Edinger’s duties will be leading the district in a levy campaign. The school board further passed a resolution Friday to place a 3.82 mill, five year levy before voters in the Nov. 8 election.
Wengerd said some of his work with Edinger will include reviewing the past levy campaigns. The district has tried twice, unsuccessfully, to secure new revenue through a levy.
“We’re going to work really hard on levy prep,” Wengerd said. “We’re going to review what went into the other two levy campaigns.”
Edinger’s contract stipulates a salary of $89,500 and is effective August 1, 2011 through July 31, 2013. He will be paid $372.92 for each of the 25 days in the interim.
Tri-County Educational Service Center Superintendent Gene Litton will work with Edinger through July.
Edinger described his first day touring the district as feeling like “a kid on Christmas morning.”
“I’m so excited,” Edinger said. “I had a very good job at a very good school district. It took something very special to make me want to leave.”
Edinger resides near Millersburg with his wife, Susan.
Joe Edinger, Shreve Elementary principal, will begin a two year contract as East Holmes’s top administrator August 1. Edinger was named superintendent by the board of education in a special meeting Friday.
Edinger brings seven years of teaching experience and 21 years as a principal. His first job as a teacher was with the West Holmes School District in 1983 after graduating from Bluffton College. He obtained his administration degree in 1989 and has been principal at Shreve since 1992, having worked as a principal for Northwestern from 1990-1992.
His transition to superintendent began shortly after the school board’s vote. Superintendent Joe Wengerd and Edinger attended several meetings together Friday before returning to the district offices in the afternoon.
Edinger said he met with some familiar faces Friday. He has worked with East Holmes faculty through his time with the Holmes County Office of Education, and has shared experience with many through the profession.
Edinger said he knows he has a strong foundation to work with going in.
“It’s a great school district with solid proven leaders and a strong community,” Edinger said. “There’s a reason they are an excellent district; there are people working hard every day. In my conversations with the school board during the interview process I shared my vision and goals as maintaining that level of excellence.”
The contract approved by the board June 3 includes 25 days where Edinger will serve as assistant to the superintendent. He will work in the East Holmes District through June and July while carrying out his remaining responsibilities as principal at Shreve.
Of that time, 15 days will be spent with Wengerd, who is retiring June 30. Wengerd said he feels he is leaving administration of the district in good hands.
“Joe is a person that has a lot of energy, a lot of ‘need to know’,” Wengerd said. “A lot of people might sit back and watch things as they go. He’s been asking a lot of questions, but he listens. He’s a fellow who has an opinion, but he listens as well.”
Among Edinger’s duties will be leading the district in a levy campaign. The school board further passed a resolution Friday to place a 3.82 mill, five year levy before voters in the Nov. 8 election.
Wengerd said some of his work with Edinger will include reviewing the past levy campaigns. The district has tried twice, unsuccessfully, to secure new revenue through a levy.
“We’re going to work really hard on levy prep,” Wengerd said. “We’re going to review what went into the other two levy campaigns.”
Edinger’s contract stipulates a salary of $89,500 and is effective August 1, 2011 through July 31, 2013. He will be paid $372.92 for each of the 25 days in the interim.
Tri-County Educational Service Center Superintendent Gene Litton will work with Edinger through July.
Edinger described his first day touring the district as feeling like “a kid on Christmas morning.”
“I’m so excited,” Edinger said. “I had a very good job at a very good school district. It took something very special to make me want to leave.”
Edinger resides near Millersburg with his wife, Susan.
Published: June 5, 2011
