WEST BRANCH Schools chief says he's enjoyed job

Scott Weingart takes over as school district superintendent.
By JoANN JONES
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
BELOIT -- When Louis Ramunno spends his last day on the job Friday as superintendent of West Branch schools, he won't be walking away because he's unhappy.
"I enjoy coming to work every day, and I enjoy the people I work with," Ramunno said. "West Branch is a special place, the focal point of the community. The people are extremely supportive and in tune with the schools."
The district, which spans three counties and 130 square miles, has renovated and added on to its high school and built a new middle school here.
It is now entering the final stages of an Ohio School Facilities Commission project with two elementary buildings under construction.
Ramunno, who has been an educator 34 years and superintendent for nine years, will stay on with the district as a part-time construction consultant to help with the projects' timelines and to keep the board and staff informed.
"This district isn't all about new facilities, though," Ramunno said. "It's about the educational process. I've been most happy with the improvement of test scores."
A former sixth-grade classroom teacher, junior high science teacher, principal and athletic director, Ramunno said curriculum is the "focus of my life and what drives the school." He praised the school board, administrators, and instructional staff for working toward curriculum improvements.
"I don't do anything on this job on my own," he said. "I just get opportunities, but it takes the community, instructors and administrators to believe in what we're doing."
He said he and the board members work hard to address everyone's concerns, but they always put the well-being of the pupils out in front.
Ramunno also credits the board for providing a smooth transition before his retirement by naming administrative assistant Scott Weingart as his replacement.
"When Dr. Weingart returned to this area about 10 years ago, I thought, 'This is the guy who needs to sit in this chair down the road,'" Ramunno said.
Weingart, a 1971 West Branch graduate, returned to the district from Arizona in 1995, bringing with him new ideas, Ramunno said.
Weingart is one of many graduates hired by the district.
"It's good to have a balance in staffing because people who came from here really care about the kids," Ramunno said of the district's tendency to hire its own graduates.
"But you also have to have people from the outside to bring in new perspectives. Ideally, it's great to get West Branch graduates who have worked four or five years elsewhere."
No surprises
A daily list-maker, Ramunno said managing time and prioritizing is a necessity for a superintendent. His rule of thumb is that no one wants any surprises, however.
"If something is coming down the road, board members and staff always have plenty of information. We have a lot of long-range plans in the district. Things don't just happen," he said.
Perhaps that is why the district has a rosier financial picture than many other Ohio school districts. Ramunno gives credit for that, however, to longtime treasurer Karen Elsner.
"We're fortunate to have Karen," he said. "She'll say, 'This is the picture,' and I respect that and work within the confines of what we have. We have been very, very frugal."
He added that the district takes on little projects at a time -- fine arts improvements, an athletic facility, various repairs -- and doesn't wait until it has to spend millions of dollars on improvements. The state's equity money, open enrollment and income taxes also help the district to stay solvent.
While running the district's daily operations, Ramunno has always made time in his day to connect to the district's pupils.
"It's something you have to do -- eat lunch with them, see them in the halls of their buildings, go to productions and athletic events. This is a job that is all-consuming. To do it right, you have to immerse yourself."
And he said that wouldn't have been possible, of course, without the support of his wife, Kerry.
The couple has two adult sons -- one in New York and one in Cleveland -- and one of the reasons Ramunno is retiring is to spend more time with his wife since their children have moved away.
"I just want to be around," he said, "to take every day as it is and help out with family."