Hile leaving Licking Valley for Vermilion schools
HANOVER – Dave Hile's highly-successful time as superintendent of Licking Valley Local Schools will be coming to an end. But not right away.
On Monday, he was unanimously approved as new superintendent of Vermilion Local Schools, on Lake Erie, effective Aug. 1, 2022. However, he will remain at Valley until the end of this school year.
“My family and I have a vacation home on Lake Erie, and we've been going there for 30 years,” Hile said. “So it's a unique opportunity.”
He said it was by far the most difficult decision of his professional career. A Newark High School graduate, Hile taught social studies at his alma mater and was an assistant football coach there, prior to becoming assistant principal at Licking Valley High School in 2002 and high school principal in 2004. He was approved as superintendent in 2007.
“Serving as your superintendent for the past 15 years has been an honor and a privilege, and the highlight of my professional life,” Hile told the board of education, staff, students and parents in a districtwide e-mail. “You taught me how to be a caring, compassionate, loving school leader.”
“You taught me that every child is unique and worthy of our love and care,” Hile added. “You taught me to trust you and your professionalism and your ideas, and to get out of your way so you could make those ideas realities for our students and their families.”
Hile said they were able to accomplish a lot during his tenure, due to developing great relationships with people. “I was able to build relationships with families, and colleagues,” he said.
“I wasn't always a good student, but thank you for being my teachers,” Hile said. “I will go forth and apply those lessons and I will be a better school superintendent for it, but more importantly I am a better person for having known each of you.”
During his time, Hile said Valley became the “destination district in Licking County.” It has been 28 years since the district asked for new operating dollars.
“We have 200 kids in open enrollment, and that's the most in the county,” he said. “And we have 135 on a waiting list to get in. When I started, there were only 15 in open enrollment. The word is out, that we're a really great place for children to be educated.”
The last two years, Valley has been identified as a “best employer in Ohio,” one of only 20 to be so designated in the state.
“I'm really proud of the culture we have built in this district,” Hile said. “It's really positive. We've hired a lot of outstanding people, who put kids first. We want to help every kid learn and grow, and everyone can thrive here.”
Hile's vision has been, “every adult helping every child learn and grow every day.”
“You taught me to first seek understanding, and then to be understood,” he said in the e-mail. “You taught me through your actions every day and throughout the years, what it looks like when every adult commits to helping every child learn and grow every day . . . and it's a beautiful thing.”