(Left to right) New principals Tabatha Wilburn, Annehurst Elementary; Mike Hinze, Westerville South High School; Scott Gaddis, Genoa Middle School; and Jim Swain, McVay Elementary.
Children are not the only ones who might have experienced a few butterflies yesterday, the first day of school. Four new principals have been hired by the Westerville City School District to lead students and staff in the pursuit of educational excellence – Tabatha Wilburn, Annehurst Elementary School; Charles “Jim” Swain, McVay Elementary School; Scott Gaddis, Genoa Middle School; and Mike Hinze, Westerville South High School.
Wilburn comes to the Westerville City School District from London City Schools, where she served as Principal of London Elementary School. She also worked in the Mount Gilead School District as Interim Elementary Principal for Park Avenue Elementary, as well as Dean of Students/Special Programs Director. During her years as a teacher, Wilburn taught Title 1 Reading Intervention and Enrichment at Park Avenue Elementary, second grade at Imagine Groveport Community School, first grade at Columbus Arts & Technology Academy, and as a long-term kindergarten substitute teacher for the Mid Ohio Education Service Center. She holds her Bachelor of Science in Education from The Ohio State University, a Master of Arts in Early Childhood Education from Mount Vernon University, and a Master of Education Administration from Concordia University.
Swain most recently served as Director of Student Services in the Mount Gilead Exempted Village School District and Principal of the district’s Park Avenue Elementary School. He was Assistant Principal for North Union Elementary School in the North Union Local School District and, prior to entering administration, taught social studies and language arts for nine years in Delaware City Schools. His additional community leadership roles include serving as Coordinator of Athletic Outreach for Cornerstone Alliance Church and as Program Coordinator for the Delaware Literacy Coalition Community Tutoring Program. Swain holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Middle Childhood Education from the University of Findlay and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Concordia University. He brings additional experience and expertise in the Orton-Gillingham methodology for literacy, grant writing, and Comprehensive Continuous Improvement Plan development.
Gaddis joined Westerville City Schools as Assistant Principal of Westerville North High School in the 2014-15 academic year. He came from Grove City High School, where he had been a math teacher since 1999 and completed a two-year administrative internship. He was honored as that school’s Teacher of the Year for the 2002-03 academic year. As he was earning his Bachelor of Science degree and Honors Diploma from Bowling Green State University, Gaddis served as a remedial math instructor for the university and also completed his student teaching work at Our Lady of Mercy School in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He holds a Master’s degree in the Art of Teaching from Marygrove College in Michigan and a Master of Arts in Educational Administration from The Ohio State University.
Hinze began his career as a Social Studies teacher with Upper Arlington City Schools before becoming Assistant Principal at Watkins Middle School in 2012. He joined the Westerville City School District in 2013 as assistant principal of Westerville South High School. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Antioch College. Last school year he was Principal at Genoa Middle School. “Given his prior tenure as an Assistant Principal at Westerville South, Mr. Hinze’s existing relationship with the staff, students and families of the school makes him an ideal candidate to become its next principal,” said Superintendent John Kellogg.
Enrollment in the Westerville City School District this year is expected to be around 15,500 students.