By Emily Hagedorn
Enquirer contributor

The youngest of the candidates for Campbell County School District superintendent, Anthony Strong, has won the job. The major reason: his positive attitude.

"He came in with the attitude that he wanted to be superintendent and wanted to get the job done," said Chuck Eifert, board chairman.

Strong, current principal of Campbell County High School, will take over the 4,600-student district beginning July 1.

Strong, 39, signed a four-year contract through June 30, 2008.

Eifert and Strong said they would not release Strong's salary until his contract is signed Monday night at the school board meeting. His predecessor, Roger Brady, who retired Sept. 1, 2003, was paid $107,000 in his fifth and final year.

Strong has been involved in education since 1990, when he was a teacher at Pendleton County High School in Falmouth.

Strong, a Butler resident, was assistant principal at Dixie Heights High School in Crestview Hills from 2000 to 2001 and principal of Campbell County High School in Alexandria after that.

The other candidates were Linda Alford, the county's assistant superintendent for student services; Diana Heidelberg, the county's interim superintendent; R.J. Greene, superintendent in New Palestine, Ind., and Jim Reilly, superintendent in Cambridge, Md.

Strong served from early 1994 to 1997 on Falmouth City Council and was involved in organizing the cleanup after the March 1997 flood.

"In that three and a half years, I learned management, budget, personnel," Strong said.

Eifert praised Strong's public-relation skills.

"He would be good politically, not afraid to talk to legislators," he said. "I do think it does help when you get out and meet the public."

Strong has bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Kentucky and his administrative certification from Northern Kentucky University and Xavier University.