Vanlue picks new superintendent

VANLUE — The Vanlue Local School Board of Education has decided the district's high school principal Eric Valasek will take the open superintendent position. The school board will formally vote on Valasek's appointment at a special meeting at 3:30 p.m. Friday. If approved, Valasek's anticipated start date in the new role would be March 24. Hancock County Educational Service Center assisted the board with the search for a new superintendent starting in late December after the departure of Traci Conley. Receiving 12 applicants, the district narrowed the application pool to six before conducting interviews during a special board meeting. After a few rounds of interviews, the board selected Findlay City Schools Assistant High School Principal Barb Tardibuono and Valasek as its two finalists last week, and landed on the local principal recently. "Mr. Valasek's understanding of the district, his deep commitment to the students and vision for the district made him stand out as the ideal candidate," said Hancock County ESC Superintendent Jeff Young. "Every hiring process has its challenges. In this case, we had a strong pool of candidates, which made the decision a difficult one. However, the Board of Education is confident in the selection of Mr. Valasek," he said. The board will be assisting Valasek during the transition. "The board is committed to supporting Mr. Valasek's transition to the superintendent role," Young said. "This will include providing him with the necessary resources, professional development opportunities, and ongoing guidance as he assumes his new responsibilities." If Valasek's appointment is approved, the soon-to-be-vacant high school principal position at Vanlue will be filled with a decision made by Valasek and the school board in the future. "The Vanlue Board of Education is excited about the future of Vanlue Local Schools under Mr. Valasek's leadership," said Young. "We believe his experience, dedication, and vision will be instrumental in guiding our district to continued success." More updates will be available following the next school board meeting on March 7.