(Posted June 8, 2018)
By Sandi Latimer, Staff Writer
Chad Eisler, principal at London High School for the past eight years, will take over as superintendent at Madison-Plains Local Schools this fall.
The 46-year-old was chosen from a field of 18 candidates who applied to replace Tim Dettwiller whose resignation becomes effective in early July. Eisler, who takes over Aug. 1, received a two-year contract. Dettwiller has been with Madison-Plains for the past 10 years.
“We had 18 applications and went through each application,” said school board Vice President Anthoula Xenikis. “We narrowed the field to six individuals. We went through two focus groups, interviewed the candidates a second time, narrowed it to two. It was a long process.”
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to build on something special,” Eisler said on June 5 after the board voted to hire him.
Xenikis presided over the special meeting in place of board president Mark Mason who is on active duty with the National Guard.
In a statement issued that night, Mason said Eisler’s passion for student learning and achievement rose to the top during the selection process. Eisler earned a unanimous vote from the four board members in attendance.
“Chad has demonstrated his ability to increase student success,” Mason said. “He collaborates with staff, engages with students and supports community initiatives to build long-lasting relationships.”
While at London, Eisler modified the instructional schedule to allow staff to meet in professional learning communities and founded the school’s Learning & Leadership Collaborative, a stakeholder feedback group. London High School’s Performance Index score on the Ohio Graduation Test rose to its highest level ever under Eisler’s leadership.
“Chad brings a depth of knowledge to us,” Mason said. “He was able to articulate a vision for the district that will expand the momentum we have created in new, exciting directions.”
“My vision for the Madison-Plains is that, together, we would make it a model for rural education,” Eisler said. “I want our students to thrive in all facets of their educational experience—academics, arts, athletics and service.”
Eisler is a proponent of using student data to impact change. This past year, he initiated common benchmark assessments and unit design templates at London, and during his tenure as an assistant principal at Perry High School, he helped staff implement learning targets and essential questions that together build a deeper understanding of material.
“I’m eager to see our staff continue to find joy in their work as we endeavor to enhance our professional practice to better meet the needs of our students,” he said. “I also want our community to be proud of the district because we have worked hard and have done it in a way that is respectful of the community’s resources and by doing what is right.”
Eisler will be the first superintendent in the district to work with a diversified operational budget. Voters in Madison-Plains last month passed a 1.25 percent income tax that will bring a new base of funding to the school system that does not solely rely on property tax.
An educator for the past 21 years, Eisler is a native of northeast Ohio. He began his career as an English teacher at Riverside High School, his alma mater, in Painesville. He moved into his first administrative role eight years later as an assistant principal for Perry Middle before serving in that role at Perry High School for three years. He assumed his spot in London in 2010.
Eisler holds a superintendent license from The Ohio State University, a principal license from Kent State University and both a master’s in education administration and bachelor of science in secondary education from Kent. He and his wife, Mandy, have three children.
