↵ NEWS

District Leadership

Original Release: 12/2/2024

The Alumni Association is excited to announce new district leadership. Mr. Dominick Kaple has recently been board-approved as our new Superintendent. Joining Mr. Kaple as a valued ARC leader is Ms. Melissa Thompson as Assistant Superintendent. Mr. Kaple and Ms. Thompson are not new to the district and are moving in to their roles with years of experience both here, and elsewhere. Mr. Kaple has been with SEL for eight years, serving four years as principal at Memorial and four years as co-Assistant Superintendent and Director of Academics, Technology, Security and Innovation. After 12 years of administration in Garfield, including the central office, and several years working in leadership at the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce, Ms. Thompson began her tenure with SEL in 2013 when she was hired as the Director of Pupil Services. For the past several years she worked with Mr. Kaple as co-Assistant Superintendent. Both are relentless in their commitment to do what is right for the children academically, socially, and emotionally. They are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and strive to make conditions right for learning through programs and services that promote safe schools and healthy students and families. They are also careful and conscientious stewards of our community tax payers' dollars. Within the first few weeks on the job, they both joined us at our August alumni association meeting and are committed to a collaborative relationship with the alumni association. In our Fall 2022 newsletter, we introduced Mr. Michael Fording as the new principal of Brush High School. Sadly, one year later, we lost Mr. Fording who passed away following a short illness. On August 1, 2024, Ms. Marinise Harris assumed the leadership role at Brush. Her hiring came as the result of an extensive search. Ms. Harris comes to us after significant experience as an assistant principal in both Shaker Heights and Mansfield. Both Ms. Thompson and Ms. Harris are residents of our community and as such, have a vested interest in the success of the district both as employees and community members.

We welcome our new ARC leaders and are super excited about the possibilities moving forward.