Monday, April 18th, 2011
Board eyes Boeke for superintendent
By Margie Wuebker
MINSTER - Minster Local Schools board of education is expected to hire elementary/middle school principal Brenda Boeke as district superintendent at tonight's regular meeting.
"I'm very excited about the opportunity," Boeke said this morning. "Being a superintendent has always been a goal. Education runs in my family's blood."
Her paternal grandfather, Frank Moorman, served as superintendent of the former St. John School in Maria Stein. The building, which housed all grades, was the forerunner for Marion Local Schools.
Boeke said the post was offered to her last week after a lengthy search that began in February.
The board, with assistance from Auglaize County Educational Service Center Superintendent James Herrholtz, narrowed the field of 26 applicants to five. Subsequent interviews conducted during executive sessions left Boeke and James Anthony Loewer of the Cleveland area as the finalists.
Herrholtz said early in the search the board's goal was to have a new superintendent hired by the May 3 election. The board is seeking a five-year, 1 percent income tax levy to replace the current half percent levy that expires at the end of the year.
Boeke believes being familiar with the school district is a definite plus. She graduated from Minster Local Schools in 1980.
She earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Bowling Green State University and a master's degree in educational administration from Butler University.
Her first job in the Minster school district came in 1984 as an elementary teacher before moving from the area. She returned in 1997 as assistant elementary principal under Larry Prenger and became principal the following year upon his retirement.
Boeke was named principal of grades K-6 in 2005 and hired as K-8 principal three years ago. She has headed up building consolidation plans in recent months as preparations are made to close the existing elementary school later this year.
"It helps to know the background history of the district," she said.
The board is expected to accept her resignation as principal tonight and then approve a limited, two-year contract as superintendent commencing Aug. 1.
Boeke replaces Gayl Ray, who will retire July 31, from the position she has held since 2005.
Ray was not available for comment this morning.
