Andy Schiefer looks over schedules in his office at Mansfield Senior High School.
At Wynford Local Schools in Bucyrus Andy Schiefer served as preschool supervisor, transportation supervisor and assistant elementary school principal – all at the same time.
As a new assistant principal at Mansfield Senior High School he will oversee the Freshman Academy.
“I believe everything I’ve done in my career has led me to this point,” Schiefer said Monday as he organized his office in the 1400 wing of the high school.
Grouping of freshman classes together with a staff assigned solely to the academy began last year. It is designed to improve academic performance and reduce the dropout rate by getting ninth-graders off to a solid start as a cohesive group.
“I totally support that concept,” Schiefer said. “It’s about building relationships. For example, if a student is stronger in one area but struggling in another, we can work cross curriculum to help that student. I believe I can lead the academy effectively while learning from the teaching team too.
“I am absolutely ready to tackle the challenge.”
Schiefer succeeds Lori Crum, who resigned this summer to take a position in East Cleveland.
A 2001 Wynford High School graduate, Schiefer taught in Maryland for nine years before returning to his home district in 2014.
“Serving in three administrative roles at Wynford required focusing on priorities – the most important thing at the time – and the first one was to make sure kids got to school safely,” he said.
While establishing bus routes and supervising drivers, he also assisted the Wynford Elementary School principal by conducting teacher evaluations and monitoring attendance. Under his leadership the preschool program increased from one classroom to three and earned a five-star Step Up to Quality rating from the Ohio Department of Education.
Schiefer received a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education with a minor in coaching from Bluffton University, then earned a master’s degree in educational leadership from Towson University in Maryland.
He and his wife Kristin reside in Crestline with their son, a second-grader, and their daughter who just celebrated her second birthday.