Hall joins team at Hopewell-Loudon
By Jill Gosche, jgosche@advertiser-tribune.comArticle Photos
BASCOM - A desire to focus his skills on elementary education drew Scott Hall to Hopewell-Loudon Elementary School. Hall, the new principal, said he is looking forward to the start of school.
"I'm in this for the love of the children, so it's really not work. I don't dread it. People dread, oftentimes, their jobs," he said. "I have enjoyed it and always maintained the idea that it's just part of lifelong learning."
Hall lives about three miles away from Hopewell-Loudon. Part of his property is in the New Riegel Local School District, and the other part is in the Hopewell-Loudon Local School District. He and his wife, Lori, have two sons, Brooks and Brady, who are students at New Riegel High School.
Superintendent Geoff Palmer helped interview Hall and said the board hired him at a special meeting last month. He said Hall's experience, his work with Vanlue's elementary school to improve test scores and his ability to work with teachers on curricular issues were his strengths.
"I just think he's a good fit for what we need as a district right now," Palmer said.
Hall is a 1981 graduate of Miami University and received a bachelor's degree with majors in business and social studies.
He received his master's degree in school administration from the University of Toledo in 1992 and has worked toward his superintendent's certificate at the University of Findlay.
Hall said he first worked at Maumee High School as a world history teacher. After three years, he became a business and social studies teacher at Fostoria High School and worked there for 18 years. He spent the past six years as the K-12 principal for the Vanlue Local School District before accepting the Hopewell-Loudon job.
"The key attraction was an opportunity for me to focus my skills, to be able to focus on grades K through six versus K (through) 12; that was the opportunity," he said. "I feel blessed to be here (and) look forward to getting the year under way."
Hall said administrators don't want to enter a new school and make changes right away.
"Everybody knows we have an excellent school here, but my goal is to make sure we have an excellent school in the eyes of the state of Ohio, so that's our goal and our challenge for the school year," he said.
Hall said Hopewell-Loudon is not rated "excellent" by the state of Ohio. Administrators need to ensure every child has a year's worth of learning growth, he said.
"If we can see that that takes place, everything will fall into place," he said.
On the Web:
Hopewell-Loudon Local School District:
