Oregon Schools will see 10 teachers and 10 administrative staff retire this year.
And the district’s new superintendent enters the job ready to implement a plan to fill those positions with the best people.
After 21 years as a school administrator, the last 14 as superintendent in the Anthony Wayne district, Jim Fritz made the decision to join Oregon Schools. He comes at a time when the district is facing some changes.
Currently, the school board is working on a Human Capital Plan as part of its strategic plan. A lot of people are set to retire from the district in the next few years, Mr. Fritz said.
“We are developing a plan so we can fill the positions with high-quality employees,” he said. “Everyone is searching for teachers now, and there are less students going into education. We are trying to have a plan to hire and retain teachers.”
Mr. Fritz replaced Hal Gregory, who became assistant superintendent of programs and personnel for North Point Educational Service Center on Sept. 30.
“This has been a super transition to Oregon, " Mr. Fritz said. “I was attracted to the district because there is a tradition and desire to excel academically, in athletics, and elsewhere. I am impressed with the dedication of our administrators and teachers to make our students ‘future ready’ and be either employed, in the military, or continuing their education when they walk across the stage at graduation.”
Mr. Fritz has been an adjunct professor in educational administration at Bowling Green State University off and on since 2008. He was a science teacher at Springfield High School and a coordinator and academic adviser in the college of education at the University of Toledo.
He received a bachelor’s degree in exercise science, a master's degree in secondary education, and a doctorate in education administration, all from UT.
Under his leadership, Anthony Wayne was ranked in the top 7 percent of all schools in Ohio based on individual state assessment scores.
Dan Saevig, school board vice president, said the district was “very fortunate” to be able to attract Mr. Fritz to Oregon.
“We have been lucky to have great superintendents who have stayed with us for years,” Mr. Saevig said. “To be able to get a superintendent with his years of experience, knowledge, and track record was huge for us.”
Mr. Fritz said students in the district have an advantage in Oregon. Clay High School offers several courses of career tech, including the trades, manufacturing, automotive technology, medical technology, engineering, marketing, cosmetology, and culinary arts.
“Not every student has access to career tech in their home school,” he said. “Our students do. I would say that 60 percent of the students at Clay have had at least some experience with career tech here, whether it is just one class or multiple classes.”
The career tech programs received five stars in the 2024 Ohio School Report Card. The district itself earned four stars.
The school board now is looking at student enrollment, the number of teachers and other administrative staff retiring, and then figuring out a marketing plan to recruit new people to the district.
“This is going on across the nation,” Mr. Fritz said. “Right now, high school students want to go into high-paying jobs. They want to be in a job that has opportunity for growth. We have to look at ways to get them interested in public education. We have to increase the entry-level pay for teachers to make it more appealing.”
Mr. Saevig said the capital plan was built into the district’s strategic plan two years ago.
“The plan is measurable, and it is critical in helping us plan for this period of transition,” he said. “It is critical so we can plan for this, the retirements that are coming. We have to be proactive. Jim is the first step in this plan. He will be able to develop a team around him that will help to move the district forward.”
Mr. Saevig said the district has been working for a few years on its state report card.
“We have been able to get a four-star rating for the last two years,” he said. “That speaks volumes for our teachers, our students, our families, and administrators that all worked to make it happen.”
Mr. Saevig continued: “We have the potential to get a 4.5, and I believe Jim will get us there. There will be great things happening here.”
Mr. Fritz said his life and work focus on growth and how to better himself. Mr. Fritz has completed five of the six World Marathon Majors — Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, and New York. He will run the sixth major in Tokyo in March.
“I am always looking for ways to better myself,” he said. “We are doing great things here in Oregon, both inside and outside of the classroom.
“This district feels both urban and rural,” Mr. Fritz noted. “It has that working-class, ‘get after it’ mentality. We want our students to also have that mentality and to have personal growth. They need to know they can attain anything they work for.”
First Published November 4, 2024, 3:42 p.m.
