Rocky River, Ohio
After more than one month since final interviews were conducted for the new superintendent for the Rocky River City Schools, the district’s Board of Education announced Feb. 28 that they have selected Adham Schirg, current superintendent at Fairbanks Local Schools in Milford Center, Ohio (northwest of Columbus), as the district’s next superintendent, pending official board approval during a special Board of Education meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. March 5 at the Board office, 1101 Morewood Parkway.
A welcome reception will follow the meeting until 8 p.m. in the PD Center at the Board office, where staff, families, and community members will have the opportunity to meet Schirg.
As noted in previous cleveland.com stories, the search started with 13 applicants for the position. The field was narrowed down to six that were interviewed Jan. 25. On Feb. 1, two finalists were interviewed. Later that day, one of the finalists, Kristine Michael, currently superintendent for the Northridge Local Schools (Columbus area), was selected by the North Mason School District in Belfair, Wash., to become the district’s next superintendent.
The lone finalist left for the Rocky River position was Schirg. He also interviewed for the superintendent position in the Pickerington Local School District (Columbus area) Charlie Smialek, Parma City Schools superintendent, was eventually named as the new Pickerington superintendent last week.
The Rocky River Board of Education did not address what may have been the delay in naming Schirg as the district’s new superintendent, but Board president Kelly Rucker Frindt noted the Board was appreciative of the input from students, staff, families, and community members throughout the process.
“Their voices helped ensure we selected a leader who will respect our district’s traditions while continuing to move us forward,” she said in a press release. “Adham Schirg brings the leadership, collaboration, and vision that will serve our students and schools well, and we are excited to welcome him to the Rocky River community.”
Through this collaborative effort, the Board believes it has selected an outstanding leader who will benefit students, families, and the entire community, as noted in the press release.
During his six-year tenure with the Fairbanks Local Schools, Schirg worked closely with a dedicated community of students, staff, and families, playing a key role in guiding the district’s strategic direction.
Schirg’s leadership style and the values he embodied at Fairbanks Local Schools resonate strongly with the leadership characteristics identified by the Rocky River City School District residents, parents, and staff, during the recent community engagement process. The community desired a leader who could model behaviors to build a collaborative and supportive culture. His proven track record in these areas made him an outstanding candidate for the superintendent position at Rocky River, according to the press release.
“I am excited to serve alongside the Board of Education, the dedicated educators who inspire and guide our students each day, the committed parents who partner with us in the educational journey, the engaged community members who champion our schools, and, most importantly, the students who are the heart of our mission,” Schirg said in an email. “It is their growth, success, and future that unite us in our shared purpose—to make Rocky River City Schools a model of excellence in the state of Ohio.”
Schirg’s current district serves approximately 1,075 students in three buildings. He was named superintendent in 2019 after serving as a principal in Worthington City Schools (Columbus area). His teaching experience includes Genoa Middle School (Westerville City Schools). He was also the head girls soccer coach at Westerville Central High School.
He is a doctoral candidate taking courses through Miami University (Oxford). His superintendent and teaching licenses are from Ashland University. He received his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from The Ohio State University.
Rocky River’s current enrollment is 2,646, as listed on the district’s website, in five schools.
Schirg noted that his current priority is supporting a smooth leadership transition for both Fairbanks and Rocky River.
“As a family, we haven’t discussed our next steps beyond preparing our current home for the market,” he said in an email, regarding moving to Northeast Ohio.
He and wife, Mary, have been married for nearly 24 years and have three daughters. The girls attend the Fairbanks Local Schools where Aizza is a senior, Zariah is an eighth-grader, and Miriam is in seventh-grade. The family enjoys traveling, spending time outdoors, watching movies and cheering on the Ohio State Buckeyes. Personally, Adham also enjoys reading, playing soccer, and listening to music.
Schirg has ties to the Northeast Ohio area as his father was the first in his family from Sandusky to graduate from college.
As previously reported, the Board retained the services of Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA), a consulting firm based in Illinois that specializes in assisting school boards in identifying and recruiting executive-level educational leaders, to conduct/oversee the superintendent search process.
Current district interim superintendent Elizabeth Anderson was a semifinalist for the superintendent position. She will serve in the interim role until the new superintendent officially begins Aug. 1, 2025.
Longtime district Superintendent Michael Shoaf officially retired from his post Jan. 9, nearly a full year earlier than originally planned.
Further details on the superintendent transition planning will be shared by the district in the coming months.
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