Mentor School Board Picks New Superintendent

Celina Schools Superintendent Matt Miller will be ' new superintendent this next school year, pending a background check and verification search.

While a contract has not been signed yet, the Mentor Schools Board of Education has offered him the job and he has accepted, Board President Alan Mihok said.

"Mentor's a great place," Miller said. "Its schools have a really good reputation for their achievements."

Miller credited current Superintendent Jacqueline Hoynes, her staff and the students for that reputation.

Miller has been the superintendent for Celina City Schools for the last seven years. Before that, he oversaw special education and managed curriculum for the district; and, previous to that, he was a building principal.

Mihok said that one of the things that appealed to them about Miller was his experience, despite his relative youth. (Miller is 40 years old.)

"He has been involved in multiple levy campaigns and collective bargaining agreements," Mihok said. "Both of which our district will need to do in the next few years."

Mihok also said that Celina Schools went from an "effective" grade to "excellent with distinction," the highest possible state grade, during Miller's tenure.

Miller said he has no intention of making any big changes to Mentor Schools upon his arrival.

"My first couple months will be me getting the lay of the land," he said.

Miller added that he had a passion for technology in education. Moreover, he sees changes coming in Ohio -- both in common core standards for education and how technology is used in the classroom.

For example, in two years, both the Ohio Achievement Assessments and Ohio Graduation Tests will be administered on computer, he said. And the tests will be interactive, he added, not just using a computer to fill in Scantron bubbles.

"I want to help students at Mentor prepare for this," Miller said.

Miller said he hoped to introduce more blended learning -- which means combining computer-based learning with traditional teaching -- to Mentor classrooms.

"Colleges across Ohio are doing more of that now," he said.

Celina Schools has 2,800 students. By comparison, Mentor Schools has about 8,000.

Mihok said the Board does not expect the difference in district size to be a problem.

"Mentor's a jump for anyone unless you're working for Cleveland, Akron or one of the major city's school districts," Mihok said.

Miller did not apply for the job initially. Instead, he was contacted by an to identify superintendent candidates.

Miller is expected to begin his role as superintendent on August 1 after a transition period with Superintendent Jacqueline Hoynes, .