“I was the interim superintendent for the 2015-2016 school year, so I’m returning back to that position,” Curtis said. “I’m happy to be back.”
Curtis was officially named to the role of interim superintendent on Aug. 1, after he said the district approached him about filling in after former superintendent, Kirk Koennecke, left the district.
Koennecke announced in mid-May that he would be leaving Graham in July to become superintendent at Indian Hill Exempted School District in the Cincinnati suburbs. Koennecke was with the district for three years, following Curtis’s first stint as interim superintendent in 2015.
MORE: Graham Local Schools seek to hire new superintendent in June
“The district approached me about coming back for this school year after Kirk had announced his registration, and of course I knew everyone from before hand,” Curtis said. “It’s almost like coming home a bit. I’m renewing some relationships with parents, staff, students and community members that I had before.”
Curtis started his career teaching in the Vandalia Butler district and since held a handful of teaching roles. He has served as Northwestern Elementary School’s assistant principal and a special education consultant for Dayton Public Schools.
In past years, Curtis also served as an interim superintendent for two other Clark County school districts, Northwestern Local Schools and assistant superintendent at Tecumseh Local School District.
However, in recent years Curtis has added a new line to his resume —professor.
“Since I was here last, I am now a professor at Urbana University, so that’s something new. My wife and I teach there in the education school,” Curtis said. “Some of our students are actually working here at Graham now, so I’m now working beside students I’ve had in class, which is a great feeling.”
The status of Graham’s search for a permanent superintendent is unclear. Graham Local Schools Board of Education President Ryan Pine did not respond to a request for comment.
MORE: Graham schools announces budget, staff cuts after levy fails
In addition to the search for a new superintendent, Graham has struggled with budget issues over the last year. In mid-May the district released a statement saying they were cutting five full-time positions, eliminating high school busing and adding fees for some courses as a result of a levy failure. The district later reversed the decision on busing, saying that service would continue.
The cuts were announced as the result of the fourth failure of a 1 percent additional earned income tax levy that would have raised $2 million for the district. Voters rejected the levy by 394 votes in early May.
Pine said previously the district is in desperate need of additional funding.
“It is imperative for Graham to pass a new operating levy for the district to climb out of our current and historical cycles of devastating cuts,” Pine said.
The first day of school for Graham students is Tuesday.
In the days leading up to the start of the 2019-2020 school year, the Springfield News-Sun will be providing back to school news, including funding and policy changes, within Clark and Champaign County school districts.
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