Bill Sears Hired to Lead Loveland School Transition

“Now I have the wonderful opportunity of assisting the Loveland Board of Education and the staff in their transition to finding a new superintendent.” -Bill Sears

LOVELAND, OHIO - LovelandMagazine.com - James W.(Bill) Sears, a resident of Mason, has been hired as the interim superintendent of the Loveland City School District. Sears will assume the duties at Loveland until a permanent replacement for Kevin Boys can be found. Boys was recently hired as the next President of Southern State Community College. The Board has hired Effron & Associates to conduct a search to permanently fill the superintendent’s position.

Sears is currently working as Director of Curriculum and Instruction at the Little Miami Local School District. He is a former Superintendent at Lebanon, and Math Curriculum Consultant for the Warren County Educational Service Center. He also worked as Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, and Assistant to the Superintendent for Personnel, at the Sycamore District. Sears is also a former Principal of Sycamore Junior High, and Assistant Principal at Sycamore High School.

“I am basically leaving Little Miami and will be full time in Loveland. However, I may do some transition work here in Little Miami on a very limited basis,” said Sears. He said he might work a half day in Loveland then the other half at Little Miami.  “We are going to play that by ear. Basically, it is felt that it is important that the staff and community of Loveland have a superintendent on a daily basis until a permanent replacement for Kevin is found.”

Sears said that he has many things to be thankful for in his career. “From being a part of the Sycamore School district which has served as an incredible foundation, to leading the Lebanon Schools during a time of growth and construction.” He said that he has “come to love” developing systems to support the teachers at Little Miami as they strive to improve the learning for all students. “Now I have the wonderful opportunity of assisting the Loveland Board of Education and the staff in their transition to finding a new superintendent.”  Sears said he feels fortunate to be “afforded this opportunity to use my variety of educational experiences as the interim superintendent of such an excellent school district and community.”

As interim superintendent Bill Sears will receive $450 per diem and the contract can be severed with 10 days notice from either side with no set length, according to Loveland Communications Coordinator, Meg Krsacok. “The Board  will begin a permanent Superintendent search early in 2010." She said that Sears' contract also includes single health plan coverage because the State Teachers Retirement System requires the district to offer coverage.

Board President, Kathy Lorenz has said that in January of 2010, the Board will begin discussing the “process” and the hiring time line, including public participation. Lorenz said she expected a new person would be hired at the end of the current school year. However, a superintendent could be hired sooner if the right person is found, and if the person could go to work immediately, or could be released from any current contractual arrangements they might have.

Sears' resume includes:

• Adjunct professor for Xavier University- Administrative graduate program
• As superintendent at Lebanon, helping to lead the district from Continuous Improvement to Excellent, and the passage of a $50 million bond issue, a permanent improvement levy, and operating levy, and facilitating the design and construction of a new high school and elementary school
• Consulted with school districts in Warren County for improving the learning of mathematics
• Assisted Franklin City Schools math department unwrapping the standards/ moved from Continuous Improvement to Excellent
• Guided the revision of math curriculum for the Kings School District