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Friday, 02 May 2008 |
Wapak Schools AD to replace Arnett as operations director
By KAREN CAMPBELL
Staff Writer
The Wapakoneta City Schools athletic director is slated to take over as operations director when long-time administrator Don Arnett retires this summer.
The news of Mike Watt, who has been employed with the district since 1991, filling the position overseeing non-certified staff, buildings and grounds was announced to staff via e-mail Friday afternoon.
Watt, who has been athletic director for the district for four years, said he thinks his strong communication skills, experience with facilities, and proactive approach to situations, should serve him well in the position.
“This kind of opportunity that doesn’t come around a whole lot,” Watt said of his decision to apply for it. “This will be a totally different kind of challenge. I hope to take what I’ve learned here in this position with me into that position and keep the district going in the right direction.”
Watt said he is interested in doing more behind the scenes work to make the district better and working with non-certified staff who work hard every day, often without recognition, to make that possible.
Superintendent Keith Horner said even from the first round of interviews conducted by a committee comprised of himself, as well as the district’s treasurer and director of instruction, Watt stood out as one of the top candidates from a field of more than 75 who applied.
The committee conducted a second round of interviews, as well as screenings typical of any educational position, before making its final decision this week.
“He is a known entity,” Horner said of Watt this week. “We know what he can do. We know his skills. We know what he’s capable
of. He’s very talented and can get things done, he’s proved that in his role as athletic director, as well as assistant principal and technology specialist. He relates to and works with people well.”
Even with all that Watt brings to the position, Horner said he has big shoes to fill.
While no formal plan has been established to ease the transition, having Watt already as a member of the Wapakoneta Schools staff should make the switchover easier, Horner said. Watt, 38, officially assumes the responsibilities as operations director Aug. 1, the day after Arnett’s planned retirement.
While the job description for the director of operations position had the potential to be updated when a new person took the helm, Horner said there are no plans to change it at his point.
“We try to look at what we can do every year to make changes,” Horner said. “The fundamentals of the job remain the same.”
Watt is expected to make the same salary as he does now as athletic director at $80,470.
The operations director’s salary is to be frozen for the next two years while he learns the job, Treasurer Susan Rinehart said.
Watt is still eligible for cost of living percentage increases.
Arnett, who has more than 40 years experience working with the district, retired approximately 10 years ago after serving as assistant superintendent, principal, assistant principal and dean of students. He was employed as business manager and then operations director in the district beginning in 1996, under a position created to help the district through a transition period, and this year made a salary of approximately $95,000.
Horner said school officials plan to post the athletic director position next week and hire someone to fill the position as soon as possible.
A requirement of the athletic director will be maintaining the good working relationship Watt, who increased the number of sports offered during his tenure, has established with the athletic boosters, the superintendent said.
Watt said he expects he will miss serving as athletic director for the district.
“It was a hard decision,” Watt said Friday afternoon in his office at the high school as he handled calls canceling games. “I will miss the coaches, the kids. I’ve enjoyed working with them so much.”
He said the decision was made after thorough discussions with his family, whom he was not able to spend as much time with, because of hours involved in his role as athletic director.
First hired by Arnett when he was assistant principal at Wapakoneta Middle School, Watt began his career in the school district as a math and science teacher in 1991.
He taught for 10 years before moving into a technology coordinator role at Buckland Intermediate School and Wapakoneta Middle School, followed by assistant principal at the high school before he was named athletic director.
Watt said he plans to garner as much information from Arnett as he can before his retirement.
“He has so much knowledge,” Watt said.
Originally from Port Clinton, Watt said he first came to Wapakoneta after marrying his wife, Angie, who was from Botkins.
He said the couple stayed as they have raised their two daughters, Megan, a fifth-grader, and Madison, a third-grader, because of the tight knit, supportive community. |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 05 May 2008 )
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