Since Friday morning, Hester has been heading administration of the Springboro Community City Schools - 6,000 students and an operating budget of more than $54 million - in place of Dan Schroer.
The school board put Schroer on leave after nearly two hours behind closed doors, little more than eight months after they gave him a raise and annuity.
RELATED: Springboro superintendent on paid leave
The board has to decline comment on why Schroer was placed on paid leave.
“The board’s statement is the board’s statement,” Board Member Charles Anderson said Monday. “For now, that’ll have to do.”
On Tuesday, Angela Wallace, the lawyer representing parents of girls involved in the case of a former Springboro gym teacher accused of gross sexual imposition on 28 of his first-grade students during class, declined to comment on whether there was any connection between the case and superintendent change.
RELATED: Accused ex-teacher’s references included superintendent, principal
John Austin Hopkins, 25, of Springboro remains on house arrest while awaiting trial on 36 counts of gross sexual imposition.
Wallace was in the Warren County Common Pleas Court after a pretrial hearing Tuesday in Hopkins’ case. Judge Robert Peeler’s courtroom was filled during the hearing with parents, Hopkins family, friends and supporters.
Entries for address and phone number were redacted from a record in Schroer’s personnel file.
In explaining the redaction and denial of request for the phone number, Treasurer Terrah Floyd cited state law making the phone number a “non-record.”
“Mr. Schroer does not currently have a district provided cell phone,” Floyd added in an email.
On Wednesday, in response to request for comment about district operations in Schroer’s absence, Communications Coordinator Scott Marshall indicated Hester was acting in Schroer’s place “and is continuing to carry forward with the efficient operation of Springboro schools.”
RELATED: Springboro schools add administration jobs a decade after cuts
As assistant superintendent of operations, Hester is to be paid $103,360 a year for three years. She is receiving no additional compensation "at this time" in light of her additional responsibilities, according to Marshall.
In Hamilton, “Hester led the recruitment, on-boarding, contracts and professional growth, while also working in conjunction with the assistant superintendent of human resources,” according to Marshall’s response.
Hester has a bachelor’s degree in special education from Wright State University in Fairborn and master’s degree in administration from Xavier University in Cincinnati.
She is certified by Human Capital Leaders in Education Professional and holds superintendent, principal Intervention Specialist K-12 licenses, according to Marshall.
The board named Hester acting superintendent immediately after putting Schroer on leave before meeting with staff and alerting parents of the change.
On Monday, Linda Roy, a grandmother of students in the Springboro schools, indicated she would like to know more about what led to the change during the first week at school for students.
“I’m very concerned about it,” Roy said.
“Everybody’s wondered,” Roy added, “Wondered what the heck’s going on.”’
About the Author
