REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio — “It really wasn’t about me wanting to do it,” Dr. Jocelyn Cosgrave said. “It was about my district needed me right now.”
Dr. Cosgrave calls it an obligation to her students and staff. It’s why she stepped in and was named the newest interim superintendent of Reynoldsburg City Schools.
“It has been difficult to have a lot of leadership changes, so I’m just trying to be something stable that the families and the students and our staff can look to to just rest easy that we are still OK and we’re moving forward and that the plan is still the plan,” she said.
The district, like many, has been crippled with staffing shortages.
In late September, 10TV told you about job fairs and how the district was looking to hire substitutes, cooks and bus drivers. This year, a lack of bus drivers has caused a rotation schedule of five district schools going remote for the foreseeable future.
But, arguably the most important district position has also seen vacancy: the job of superintendent.
Melvin Brown left the district at the end of last year for a new opportunity. Garilee Ogden was hired to take his place, but resigned just weeks before school started. Dan Good was named interim superintendent in July and was supposed to be there until the end of the calendar year, but stepped down in early October. That’s when Cosgrave, a 15-year veteran with RCS, became interim.
She says teaching and learning remain the top priorities and that the district’s strategic plan is still in place. She wants to focus on transportation and filling open spots within the district while stressing to parents the district is moving forward.
“This district is not a mess right now,” she said. “This district is moving forward like we always do. Together, as a team and as a community.”
The Reynoldsburg City Schools Board of Education President, Debbie Dunlap, released the following statement on the district’s four superintendents this school year:
“At the end of the 2021-22 school year, Reynoldsburg City School District Superintendent, Dr. Melvin J. Brown, accepted a wonderful opportunity to serve as Superintendent in Alabama. In July, following the Board’s superintendent search, Garilee Ogden was named as the next superintendent. Later that month, Ms. Ogden and the Board reached an agreement to alter the role she had in the District in the best interest of all parties. Under the mutual agreement, the Board continues to utilize Ms. Ogden’s expertise in the educational field as a Consultant as the Board began a search for the next superintendent. Dr. Dan Good was appointed Interim Superintendent but resigned earlier this month due to personal reasons. The Board quickly approved Dr. Jocelyn Cosgrave as Interim Superintendent October 10th with full Board support. Dr. Cosgrave has been with Reynoldsburg for more than a decade as a teacher, principal and administrator. We have the utmost confidence in her as she leads the District while we work in partnership with the ESC of Central Ohio to conduct our superintendent search. Our first stakeholder meeting is tomorrow and open to the community.”