Thursday, May 06, 1999
top school jobs open
BY CHRISTINE WOLFF
The Cincinnati Enquirer
DEER PARK — Deer Park High School's administrative team changes this summer, as the veteran principal and assistant principal leave the school.
Both men are retiring, both with at least 30 years in education.
Principal Tim Feeley — at the school for 15 years — will work in the district's central administration office until he retires in March 2000. Assistant Principal Barry Campbell of Wilmington — with the school for two years — retires in June.
Mr. Feeley, 50, of Deer Park, came in 1984 as the school's assistant principal and was promoted to principal in 1986.
The timing of the double retirement is, “unfortunately, just the way it worked out,” said Paul Godwin, president of the Deer Park school board.
“It's not something we set out to do,” Mr. Godwin said. “It's always difficult to replace someone with a long history and positive impact. Mr. Feeley's been one of the driving forces at the high school.”
Still, having a blank slate to create a new school administration offers a chance “to tap into some talent,” Superintendent Barbara Hammel said.
“I'm excited about the opportunity to put together the leadership team,” she said. “There has been a change
over time in the role of principal.”
She'll be looking, she said, for an educator who can provide instructional leadership and good management. Schools that truly “make differences in kids,” are schools that have “frequent, clear and meaningful discussions about teaching and learning,” between principals and staff.
Until retiring, Mr. Feeley will work on special projects for the district, including writing grants and crisis planning.
“I figured it was better for the kids to have one principal through the whole year,” Mr. Feeley said.
He's proud of improvements during his tenure at Deer Park — a seventh-to-12th-grade school with about 750 students — that his three sons attended. He's seen the advent of parent conferences, and the upgrading from “old technology,” in industrial arts curriculum to today's computer-assisted drafting classes.
Three years ago, Deer Park received a Venture Capital grant from the state — $25,000 a year for five years, being used for staff development focused on improving teaching of seventh- and eighth-graders.
“Fifteen years ago, it was just a watered-down high school program,” Mr. Feeley said.
He's proud, too, that Deer Park's English teachers have received training at Miami University's Ohio Writing Project, and of the school's revamped science curriculum.
This fall, Deer Park is one of 12 districts in Southwest Ohio to implement the High Schools That Work program, a national reform effort.
The deadline is May 21 to apply for the Deer Park positions. Ms. Hammel's recommendation probably will be given to the board at the June 16 meeting.
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