Garilee Ogden will seek community connections as Reynoldsburg City Schools superintendent

When Garilee Ogden takes over as Reynoldsburg City Schools superintendent July 5, she said her first task will be to foster community connections.

“I feel really strongly about connecting with the community and the board of education to see what the community’s children need,” she said.

“Some of my goals are to, first and foremost, work with the staff at all schools to start establishing relationships, and with the community as well – getting to know people, understand what their hopes and desires are for their children and the community’s children . And secondly, start to build trust with the community.”

The board of education voted 5-0 on May 26 to hire Ogden to succeed Melvin Brown, who will move on to be superintendent of Montgomery Public Schools in Alabama.

She will earn a base salary of $175,099 annually, plus medical, dental, vision and life insurance benefits valued at approximately $45,000 a year, according to district spokeswoman Valerie Wunder.

Ogden said things that attracted her to Reynoldsburg are the district’s “innovation” and programs such as its career pathways and high school academies.

Ogden said she’s not the type of leader who comes in with big ideas for change and does not have policy objectives outlined yet, but she said she’s excited to get started in her new job.

“One thing that I’ve said to the board of education and everyone in the interview process is my top priority is to be student-focused and student-centered, and I want to go into this with that in mind, making sure we are making the best decisions for the children of the district,” Ogden said.

“But I’m also a firm believer of doing that collaboratively as a team. And I’ve got to establish those relationships and build those trusting connections with people in order to do that for kids.”

Ogden has been superintendent at Groveport Madison Schools for the last four years.

“We are pleased to welcome Garilee to the Raider family,” school board president Debbie Dunlap said in a statement. “The board, along with (district) staff and students, are excited to learn from her and support her through her journey.

“She is a student-focused leader and values ​​staff and community engagement, important tenants in leading a school district.”

Brown’s last day was June 3. Assistant Superintendent David Baker began serving as interim superintendent June 4.

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