SIDNEY — Sidney City Schools has a new leader.
The Board of Education hired Robert “Bob” Humble to be the district’s new superintendent during a special meeting Thursday evening.
“We’re all excited,” said Board President Bob Smith after the 5-0 vote to hire Humble was tallied.
Smith said it was an interesting process for the board members and Treasurer Mike Watkins. Everyone had diverse opinions on what they wanted in the new superintendent, he said.
“When we had the opportunity to interview Bob, everybody agreed this is the person we wanted to bring in,” said Smith.
Humble received a three-year contract as the new superintendent. He will be paid $130,000 annually. In addition he will be paid for up to 10 days of employment from July 1 to July 31.
“I’m extremely excited to be here,” said Humble. “I can tell people here are committed to the school district.”
Board member Linda Meininger said it was “scary” when they went around the table after the interview process to state who they liked for the superintendent’s position.
“All of us had you as we went around the room,” she said.
Meininger said she expected the last person to say a different name but Humble’s name was what the board member said.
Humble, who is currently the superintendent at Fairbanks Local Schools, brings a wealth of experience to the district. He has been with the Fairbanks district for 10 years as its superintendent. During that time, the district has received state and national recognition for its academic accomplishments.
The high school has been listed on the U.S. News “Best High Schools” for seven straight years. The district has signed a pledge to be a Future Ready District, which means a district “plans and implements personalized, research-based digital learning strategies so all students can achieve their full potential,” according the the website, https://futureready.org/.
The Fairbanks district is implementing a 1:1 computer program district wide under Humble’s leadership. He has completed Leadership in Blended Learning Training.
While at Fairbanks, Humble has overseen the passage of four ballot issues for the distinct. Only one failed during his tenure. He has completed two building projects, including the construction of a new elementary school.
He helped the district raise its credit rating to AA3, which is the highest rating for a district the size of Fairbanks. The district was also able to raise its carryover balance from $2 million to $6 million.
Prior to his employment at Fairbanks, Humble was employed from 2002-08 with the Clearmont Northeastern Local Schools in Batavia. He was the principal and then became the director of personnel/curriculum. While there, he pioneered the “Electronic walk through” process for the district. The elementary school received an “Excellent Rating” his last two years with the district.
He was named the “Administrator of the Year” by the Ohio Foreign Language Association in March 2007. While principal, the high school received its first “Excellent” rating on the 2004-05 Ohio Department of Education report card.
From 1998-2002, he was the principal at Gallatin County Middle School for Gallatin County Schools, Warsaw, Kentucky. He was a K-6 music teacher from 1994-98 with the Grant County Schools. He was the band director and assistant high school director with Bethel-Tate Local Schools from 1984-85. He was the band director and general music teacher for New Richmond Exempted Village Schools from 198-84.
During a break from his career in education, Humble worked in the private sector. From 1992-94 he was the general manager for the Honeybaked ham Company. From 1990-97 he was the assistant site manager for Burns Security, which provided security for sporting and concert events held at Cinergy Field.
He was the president/consultant for Amerisound Inc./Artistic Productions. He created a mobile disc jockey service from 1990 to 2001. He was an Ohio High School Athletic Association football official from 1990 to 2017.
From 1985-90, he was a national sales and operations director for A Solid Gold Sound Disc Jockey and Video Taping Service. He established the company’s Chicago office and expanded the company from two cities to 12 cities in less than four years. He oversaw 30 employees and 200 subcontractors. He increased the company sales from $100,000 in1985 to more than $1 million in 1990.
A graduate of Miami University, Humble received his bachelor of music in music education in 1983 from the university. He received his master of education degree in education administration in 1997 from the University of Cincinnati. He received post master’s training in education administration at Xavier University. He holds a superintendent’s certificate for the state of Ohio.
He completed the Change Leadership Program at Harvard University. He serves on the Union County Drug Free Coalition Board of Trustees.
His professional memberships include the Buckeye Association of School Administrators, Capital West Officials Associations, Union County Rotary, Milford Center Lions Club, School Study Council of Ohio, Marysville Business Association and Union County Chamber of Commerce.
He and his wife, Wendy, who is a school teacher, plan to relocated to Sidney in the near future. They are the parents of two children, Ty and Joel, and have four grandchildren, Lio, Emma, Mason Robert and Eli.
