superintendent of the year nominations

buildings. Dr. Keenan masterfully found cost savings and efficiencies in the delivery of programming, usage of supplies, and administrative costs. However, while his leadership resulted in improved programs, student achievement, and performance by state and national standards, addressing a deteriorating physical plant would require the influx of new funds. During the economic downturn of 2008, the worst experienced in the lives of many of our community members, Dr. Keenan worked collaboratively with our CFO, business manager and other central office staff to compile the necessary data regarding potential costs and needs. He then began the work of engaging the community, businesses, parents, school board, staff and students in defining the magnitude of our facilities problem and in crafting a solution. After more than eighteen months of study, planning, and community involvement, Dr. Keenan recommended that the Westlake board of education place an $84 million bond issue on the ballot. Normally such a hefty bond issue during such a poor economic time would be soundly defeated. However, due to Dr. Keenan's planning and engagement of the entire community, the bond issue passed by a ten-point margin. This fall our new high school and middle school will welcome our seventh through twelfth grade students. Our renovated intermediate school will open the following year for our fifth and sixth graders. These new and renovated buildings will allow the Westlake City Schools to continue offering the excellent education for which we are known in a safer, warmer, and dryer learning environment, as well as expanding student opportunities to utilize the technology that a newer infrastructure will allow and that our old buildings could not accommodate. Dr. Keenan’s ability to envision the possibilities for our facilities, to work collaboratively with his staff and board, to engage and involve the community, and to continue with high expectations for our staff and students during the bond vote and facility upgrades, makes him an exceptionally strong superintendent and leader. Dr. Keenan’s success on both of the initial board directives is the result of his "open door" policy and his ability to engage and involve all stakeholders in the continuous work of improving all aspects of our educational program, literally and figuratively from the ground up! A community and a school board cannot ask for more, yet Dr. Keenan supplies it. Heading a school district is work that is wrought with complexities. He approaches them all with a positive attitude tempered by the realism that his experience provides. When faced with staggering state budget cuts and changes in state law that negatively impacted our school district he has advocated with and continues to meet directly with our state lawmakers, including other school district leaders in a collaborative approach when appropriate and as a district alone when necessary. When faced with a loss by only forty- four votes on our latest levy vote in May, he was already strategizing next steps the morning after the election. The Westlake City School community is proud and fortunate to have Dr. Daniel J. Keenan Jr. as our superintendent. It is for the reasons above that Dr. Keenan is deserving of the title of 2014 Superintendent of the Year.

We appreciate your consideration.

Mr. Thomas Mays, president Westlake Board of Education Ms. Carol Winter, vice-president Westlake Board of Education Mr. Mark Pepera, CFO and Treasurer, Westlake City School District

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