The long-time South-Western City School District superintendent announced he was resigning Monday from the job at one of the largest school districts in the state.
SWCSD Superintendent Bill Wise told the Board of Education on Monday that he was resigning after 17 years with the district, although he will remain as superintendent until Aug. 1, 2024, as he prepares for retirement in 2025.
Wise charted a long career through SWCSD, first hired in 2002 and also served as deputy superintendent and assistant superintendent of curriculum before he was selected as superintendent in 2007. His current contract was extended in 2020 and goes through 2027, The Dispatch previously reported.
Wise said he was “blessed to work with many talented staff, board, and community members.”
“I have also benefited from the incredible work of others that came before me,” Wise said. “My hope is that in some small way I will leave the district better than when I arrived. We have a history of building partnerships that propel us forward, which I am confident will continue.”
In recognition of his “valued experience and leadership,” the board chose to reassign Wise to the role of special assistant to the superintendent, effective Aug. 1, 2024, until his retirement on Aug. 31, 2025.
South-Western City Schools is the sixth-largest district in the state with over 21,000 students and is the third-largest in central Ohio, trailing Columbus City Schools and Olentangy Local School District.
During his tenure, Wise oversaw the construction of 18 new school buildings andhelped drive the district to its highest graduation rate in school district history, according to a release. The district has not had an operating levy since 2009, and expects a strong financial position for the next five years.
In all, Wise has seen 21,660 students graduate from SWCSD.
