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Logan Elm School District set to hire PCSD superintendent for position

As Portsmouth City Schools superintendent Jan Broughton looks forward to her new position as superintendent of Logan Elm Local School District in Circleville, Portsmouth Board of Education will begin the process of hiring her replacement.

Broughton said she received word Tuesday evening she would be recommended for the position at a special meeting Thursday. Logan Elm officials told her the decision was made at Monday night's regular board meeting.

"I look forward to going up there and trying to help that community in passing a bond issue and building new buildings," she said.

"It goes back to who I am. We're all about kids. Every child in the state of Ohio deserves a new building. Can I be successful and help them? I certainly hope I can.

"I know the work is cut out for me, as it is anywhere. I just think you have to keep that one thing in focus; everyone in the state of Ohio deserves new schools," she said.

Broughton speaks from experience, having guided the Portsmouth district through the building of a new East Portsmouth Elementary School in Sciotoville in 2005, and the building of a new high/junior high school and a new elementary school that all opened at the beginning of the 2006-07 school year.

"Not many superintendents can say they enjoyed the building project," she said. "I've heard a lot of superintendents say, 'I wouldn't go through it again,' but I can truly say I enjoyed the project."

Broughton also has guided the district through the plans for a future $10-million athletic complex to be built adjacent to the schools.

She said the Portsmouth district now will be meeting to work toward hiring her replacement.

Logan Elm utilized the services of Cheryl Ryan, education management consultant for the Ohio School Board Association, to screen applicants for retiring superintendent Asa Bradbury's replacement, resulting in Broughton's hiring.

"They (PCSD board) are planning a special board meeting Monday night, and I have encouraged them to use the same process, because it has been a good process, a very thorough process, and they will meet with the Ohio School Board Association to see if that's what they want to do," Broughton said.

"They (Logan Elm) had a board meeting Monday night, and if everything checked out, they would let me know whether they thought things would be good," she said. "I did not know they actually were going to hire me or have a board meeting until yesterday (Tuesday). They called me and told me they were hoping to put a board meeting together as early as tomorrow (Thursday) evening. So basically, I knew officially yesterday afternoon late."

According to Logan Elm School treasurer Steve Mc

Afee, the board will have a special meeting Thursday at 5:30 p.m. to act on a recommendation to hire Broughton.

At this point, officials in the Logan Elm District seem to feel the meeting is a formality

Broughton said she has mixed emotions about the move.

"It's exciting and yet it's tearful," she said. "I'll never forget my Trojan days here. I've had a great experience here. I'm looking forward to the excitement of the new position, the new district, and new accomplishments. I told the staff, I'll never walk away. I'll cherish the memories."

Broughton said she believes her years at Portsmouth have been positive ones.

"Portsmouth has been wonderful to me. I've said that before; the staff has been wonderful, the community has been wonderful. We have accomplished so much. It's tough, it is going to be so hard," she said.

Broughton said there are those on the staff at Portsmouth who have told her, "You have that sparkle in your eye again."

People know I operate that way, with a sparkle in my eye," she said.

She said she will begin her new job on Aug.1, and said she most likely would use the month of July as mainly vacation time to get moved.

"My contract here goes through July 31, but I do have some vacation time and I will try to be vacationing and doing the move, and then I'll start up there effective Aug. 1," Broughton said.

"I probably won't be here much during the month of July," she said. Contract negotiations with Logan Elm are ongoing, and she had asked the Portsmouth board to release her from her contract that runs through 2010 before accepting the new position.

Broughton was paid $92,304 at Portsmouth, and Bradbury was paid $101,304 in the 2007-08 school year.

FRANK LEWIS can be reached at (740) 353-3101, ext. 232.