Westerville City School District Superintendent Dr. Dan Good tonight notified Board of Education members of his intention to retire at the conclusion of the 2012-13 school year. Good shared his decision with the Board in an executive session convened during tonight’s regular Board meeting.
“Like many veteran educators, legislative reforms to Ohio’s public pension systems have brought me to the difficult, personal business decision to retire effective June 30, 2013,” Good said. “My time in this school system has been extraordinary and I couldn’t have asked for a better capstone to a 30-year career in this industry.”
Good explained that the decision to retire, let alone when to announce that decision, has weighed heavily on him the past several months.
“My entire career has been guided by one simple tenet: do what’s right for the children and community I serve,” Good noted. “That’s why I decided to make my intentions known at this time. Board members now can begin planning for succession at a time when numerous Columbus-area superintendent vacancies are anticipated to occur by the end of the current academic year.”
Hired in November 2007, Good said that his five-year relationship with the district began with an earnest effort to gather input from thousands of local stakeholders. The input was used to develop a strategic plan that aligned with community priorities for education and guided the district’s improvement efforts.
“The aligned goals and objectives we developed resulted in outcomes our community can boast,” Good said. “We’ve attained higher student achievement each year with one of the lowest per pupil expenditures in Central Ohio and amongst school districts across the state identified as being most similar to ours.”
During Good’s tenure, the Westerville City School District improved from a state rating of “Excellent” to “Excellent with Distinction.” The district also saw regular increases to its Performance Index Score, which occurs only when more students score at the Advanced, Accelerated and proficient levels on state tests. School officials recently announced that the district this year would attain its highest-ever Performance Index Score of 102.9 out of a possible 120.
Good made many systemic changes and operational improvements to the district, including the increased use of data to drive decisions, monitor progress and improve academics; the realignment of his administrative staff within existing dollars to increase the Academic Affairs Division’s capacity to support students and schools; and the expectation that budget managers would identify and implement austerity measures that have a positive impact on the district’s bottom line.
“There is only gratitude in my heart for the opportunity to serve Westerville,” Good said. “I still have nine months remaining as Superintendent and want everyone to know that I remain committed to continuing our efforts toward a sustainable system of excellence with distinction public education. The children, their families, and our community deserve nothing less.”
The Board of Education will begin its search for Good’s replacement immediately.