When the school district encountered complex problems over the past 10 years, finding solutions was almost always left up to Paul Cynkar.

 

Now the Cynkar decade is coming to an end.

The 56-year-old assistant superintendent of schools announced last week that he has accepted a position with Battelle for Kids, a nonprofit organization that works with school districts across Ohio to improve student achievement.

Cynkar said he was not seeking a new job, but could not pass up the position of managing director of operations with the organization, which is located in Grandview Heights.

"It is an opportunity that only comes along once in a lifetime," he said.

Cynkar joined the district in 1983. He was principal of Perry Middle School for a year, principal at Worthingway Middle School for 14 years, and has been a central office administrator for ten years.

His job duties are diverse, ranging from developing new programs to keeping track of enrollment trends to developing the school calendar. He handles the day-to-day problems that the superintendent often does not have time to address.

"I'm the utility infielder," he said.

Cynkar has also been handed huge problems over the years, and has always come through with creative solutions, according to Superintendent of Schools Melissa Conrath.

It was Cynkar who worked doggedly on the problems resulting from declining enrollment. His frequent meetings with the public on that topic set a new standard for openness in the school district.

Last spring when parents at Colonial Hills Elementary were upset because the district planned to send sixth-graders to middle school, the situation was turned over to Cynkar. He worked with families and educators and found a way to make things work.

Conrath said Cynkar has outstanding interpersonal skills and is a creative thinker who has come up with solutions to very complex problems.

"He was my go-to person, my right-hand man," Conrath said. "It is hard to lose his knowledge of the district and his skills that have benefited the district in so many ways."

Cynkar said he will not leave the job until at least Dec. 1, but may take a few days vacation to transition into his new position.

Meanwhile, Conrath plans to meet with him to note the tasks that need to be done in his absence.

She plans to use a series of interim assistants for the rest of the school year, since it is difficult to hire a school administrator during the school year. A search for a new assistant superintendent is to begin during the winter with hopes of finding a replacement by summer.

Battelle for Kids was established through a partnership with the Ohio Business Roundtable and supported by an initial grant from Battelle Memorial Institute. The organization was created in 2001 to champion improved student achievement in Ohio by supporting, accelerating, and sustaining standards-based education.