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Chief of schools takes job elsewhere
The township will conduct a statewide search to replace Doug Heuer.
AUSTINTOWN — Township schools will be looking for a new superintendent now that Doug Heuer is leaving the district to take a job with a larger school system.
Heuer will join the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District in the same capacity. He will replace Deborah Delisle, who took the position as Ohio’s superintendent of public instruction.
Heuer’s last day as Austintown superintendent is July 31. The district will conduct a statewide search to replace him and expects to have a new superintendent on board by Aug. 31, the first day of the next school year, said Richard Zimmerman, Austintown school board president.
“Austintown is a very special community, and working there has been a great experience,” Heuer said.
Heuer said he’s proud of the academic accomplishments made while he was superintendent.
When Heuer arrived as Austintown superintendent in June 2005, it had two schools rated “excellent” by the state. It now has five with that rating.
Also, he said the district reduced its expenditures by about $2 million a year during his four years as superintendent.
Vince Colaluca, the district’s curriculum director, would serve as interim superintendent, if needed, Zimmerman said.
Heuer’s been a finalist for two other superintendent jobs, so his decision to leave didn’t come as a surprise, Zimmerman said.
“Doug helped improve our education system,” Zimmerman said. “He moved us up very well. He was looking for bigger and better things.”
Among Heuer’s high points as superintendent was helping to get a $26 million bond issue passed in November 2003 for a new Austintown Middle School and other improvements, Zimmerman said.
“Mr. Heuer brings with him 25 years of administrative experience and a proven track record of establishing initiatives to improve student achievement and enhance community partnerships to engage families and residents,” said Kal Zucker, CH-UH’s board of education president, in a statement on the district’s Web site. “His experience leading an inner-ring suburb of Youngstown and implementing successful educational initiatives that remove barriers to learning and promote equity and access across all levels made him the best choice for our district.”
Austintown has a student population of about 5,000 and seven schools. Cleveland Heights-University Heights has about 6,000 students in 14 schools.
Heuer was earning about $98,000 annually in base pay in Austintown. His annual base salary at his new job will be $140,000.
Heuer had been named a finalist for the vacant superintendent position of the Springfield City School District in April but was not hired to the position. He was also a finalist for the superintendent job at the Westerville City School District, near Columbus, in late 2007.