The Westerville City School District (WCSD) Board of Education approved another organizational move during its June 28 regular board meeting as part of the district’s continuing succession planning initiative.
Anne Baldwin became the district’s Executive Director of Secondary Academic Affairs effective July 1, 2021, filling the vacancy created by Scott Reeves’ transition to Executive Director of Human Resources.
Baldwin has coordinated the district’s Career Tech and College Readiness efforts since joining WCSD in 2014. She previously served as principal of Reynoldsburg High School’s Health Sciences and Human Services Academy and dean of students at the high school. During her 19-year career, she has also been an instructional coach and social studies teacher. She earned her bachelor’s degree in political science and master’s degree in social studies education from The Ohio State University.
At the July 9 board meeting, the board approved the hiring of Dawn Sayre to direct the district’s Career Tech and College Readiness efforts. Sayre comes to Westerville from Hilliard City Schools, where she has served as an administrator, teacher and coach. She starts Aug. 1.
Under Baldwin’s leadership, WCSD is among the top central Ohio districts in the number of students participating in Career Center coursework. The number of students participating in Career Technical Education has grown from only 218 in the 2013-14 school year to approximately 1,500. All district middle school students engage in Career Technical coursework and can seamlessly transition into a high school program that supports their aspirations. WCSD students earning free college credit through College Credit Plus coursework also has grown from only 76 students in 2014-15 to more than 400.
These latest personnel moves stem from the recent announcement by Steve Mazzi, WCSD’s current Executive Director of Human Resources, that he plans to leave the district in December. Given Mazzi’s pending departure, Baldwin will work with Reeves in the coming month as part of the transition into her new position before Reeves takes on his new role. Reeves will then work with Mazzi through the end of the year as part of the transition into his position.
Superintendent Dr. John Kellogg first announced the need to begin succession planning and modify the district-level leadership team structure in January. A number of people in key leadership positions will be eligible to retire over the next two to three years, so succession planning will permit the transition of various responsibilities and mentoring of individuals in their new roles over time.
The restructuring plan does not grow the size of the district’s leadership team or require the hiring of additional administrative personnel as veteran administrators retire and depart the district.