Board names interim as new superintendent
Hamilton Local Schools have hired the district's interim superintendent to be its permanent leader.
After conducting a formal search and interviewing candidates, the Hamilton Local Board of Education voted unanimously Monday to hire Mark Tyler, who has been running the district since Oct. 1, and has worked there for nearly 17 years.
Tyler, 41, had served as assistant superintendent since July 2015. He started at Hamilton Middle School in July 2001 as a physical education and health teacher. In 2007, he became assistant principal of the middle school. Two years later, he moved to Hamilton Township High School as assistant principal. From 2011 to 2015 he served as principal of Hamilton Elementary School. He's also been the varsity track and field coach, and an assistant varsity football coach.
Tyler earned his bachelor's degree in education from Muskingum College and his master's in education from Ashland University.
The fact that he served in just about every Hamilton Local school building, on virtually every level, weighed heavily in his favor, said district spokesman Vince Payne. Also, he's built up a lot of goodwill in the community over the years.
"Several ... community members showed up (at board meetings) to publicly support Mr. Tyler, while recommending to the board that they hire him as superintendent of our district based on his previous performance and their experience working with him directly over the years," Payne said in an email.
Under the contract, Tyler will earn $135,000 per year.
The board installed Tyler as the interim superintendent after former Superintendent William J. Morrison III was arrested on Sept. 29 in the Hilltop neighborhood after Columbus police found what they said was a crack pipe and crack cocaine in his car.
Morrison pleaded guilty to possession of a counterfeit controlled substance, a first-degree misdemeanor, and was sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 176 of them suspended, and a year of probation.