H-L superintendent resigns, takes job at Mohawk

At Hopewell-Loudon's board of education meeting on Wednesday, Superintendent Jeffrey Holbrook confirmed his resignation, effective July 31, 2021. Holbrook accepted a job as the Mohawk Local Schools superintendent Monday, and will start there August 1. Holbrook spent three years at Hopewell-Loudon after spending 19 years at Wynford Local Schools. There, he taught art for nine years before serving as principal for various grades for a combined 10 years. He also coached football for a decade. Mohawk's current superintendent, Mark Burke, announced his resignation in early March, effective at the end of his 2020-2021 contract. He came to the district in 2019, and after this school year, will serve as the executive director of achievement and leadership at the Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center. Holbrook said his main motivation for the change was his commute, which was about 30 minutes. Every day this week, he didn't get home until after 9 p.m., because going home between the end of the school day and evening meetings didn't make sense with the long drive, he said. He searched unsuccessfully for a house or parcel of land nearer to Hopewell for a long time. When the Mohawk position became available, he saw the opportunity for a commute less than half as long as the one to Hopewell. It would allow him to drive home for a while between meetings. But Holbrook said it still wasn't an easy decision to make — he loves the kids, teachers and community at Hopewell. "The students in this district are amazing," he said. "They have amazing character, in and out of the building. The teaching staff here is one of the absolute best, top to bottom." The Mohawk board of education approved Holbrook's contract on Monday, and the first call he made was to Hopewell-Loudon board president Richard Osterwalder. He made an announcement to the staff that afternoon. "We wish him well," Osterwalder said. "He's been here three years and he's done an excellent job. We'll start the search, NCOESC is doing that for us, and we'll move forward." Since Holbrook's contract ends in just over two months, the board and NCOESC is under a bit of a time crunch, but Osterwalder doesn't want to rush it. "It would be great to find a replacement by July, but we won't hold our breath," he said. "We want to take our time and find a great fit." Holbrook looks back on his greatest accomplishments in the district with pride — introducing a solar array to save tens of thousands of dollars annually, bringing in a new writing model to improve academics and building relationships with people. "The community is just exceptional," Holbrook said. "You don't see many communities like this. It'll be difficult to walk away from them and these kids." In larger school districts, the superintendent is often an abstract figure — out of sight, out of reach and not personally known by many students. That wasn't the case with Holbrook. At the Future Farmers of America (FFA) banquet on May 2, the students honored him with an honorary degree. He felt a pang of sadness — he already knew he probably wouldn't be there for them next year. Holbrook has no doubt that the board will find someone just as passionate to replace him. "At the end of the day, it's all about the kids."