Two of the Westerville City School District’s veteran principals recently announced that they would be retiring midway through this academic year. Annehurst Elementary Principal Howard Baum notified district officials in June that he will retire in January 2013 following a 35-year career in education, and Whittier Elementary Principal Kim Woosley in September shared her plans to retire in February 2013 after a 30-year academic career.
Additionally, Food Services Coordinator Karisa Dennis resigned from the district in September to accept a career opportunity elsewhere. District officials immediately conducted a thorough search process to recruit applicants for these positions and today announced the candidates selected to fill the vacancies. The Board of Education approved the employment of these individuals during its November 5, 2012, regular meeting.
Earl D. Rahm
Earl Rahm has been named principal of Annehurst Elementary School. He joined the Westerville City School District in 2010 as Assistant Principal of Heritage Middle School. He came to the district from Reynoldsburg City Schools where he spent 10 years in various capacities at the middle level, including dean of students, interim athletic director, assistant principal, business teacher and alternative school instructor.
During his tenure in Westerville, Rahm created an implemented a Discipline Committee to improve school climate, developed the annual school schedule using PowerSchool, participated in numerous parent meetings designed to enhance students’ academic performance, and managed logistics associated with the school’s fundraising initiatives and school assemblies.
Rahm also has extensive experience in special education, home instruction, student discipline, community relations, athletic program policies and procedures, mentorship programming and alternative instruction. He holds his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminology from The Ohio State University, as well as his certification in vocational business, Master’s Degree in Administration and administrative licensure from Ashland University.
Rob Stranges, currently the Instructional Coach at Pointview Elementary School, will serve as the Assistant Principal at Heritage Middle School to fill the vacancy created by Rahm’s transition to Annehurst Elementary.
“Rob is a top-tier educator who is ready to take his career to the next level,” said Superintendent Dr. Dan Good. “We’re pleased to provide him with the opportunity to gain this administrative experience right here in the Westerville City School District.
Cheryl Ann Relford
Cheryl Relford is the new principal at Whittier Elementary School. She joins Westerville City Schools from Arlington Public Schools in Arlington, Virginia, where she spent the last 13 years as a kindergarten teacher, elementary assistant principal, and elementary principal. She has 17 total years of educational experience.
Relford brings extensive experience in student-centered instruction, collaborative planning and teaming, data-driven decision making, teacher evaluation, professional development, fiscal management, master scheduling, parental and community involvement, and fostering safe and supportive learning environments. She is certified in both PreK-6 Elementary Education and PreK-12 Administration and Supervision, and she also holds a Commonwealth of Virginia Postgraduate Professional License.
Relford earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education from Winston Salem State University, her Master’s of Science in Curriculum-Instruction and Supervision from McDaniel College, and is in the process of becoming credentialed in American Montessori Society Administration.
Brent Kasler
Brent Kasler has been hired as a district Food Services Coordinator. He joins the Westerville City Schools from East Knox Local Schools, where he has been a cafeteria manager since 2008. Kasler also has experience as a cook, supervisor and manager in the food service industry. His technology background also will be beneficial to the district’s Food Services operations.
“We’re pleased to welcome these high-quality professionals to our leadership team,” Good said. “The loss of two veteran building leaders, along with a highly-skilled coordinator, left a tremendous gap to fill, but quality teams attract quality individuals. We’ve done well to maintain the caliber of our ranks by bringing these professionals aboard.”