Richard Markwardt, former superintendent of West Geauga Schools, was given the 2025 Geauga/Portage County School Leader of the Year award Aug. 11, celebrating a decade of transformative leadership and dedication to students, staff and the community.
Richard Markwardt, former superintendent of West Geauga Schools, was given the 2025 Geauga/Portage County School Leader of the Year award Aug. 11, celebrating a decade of transformative leadership and dedication to students, staff and the community.
Jennifer Felker, superintendent for the Educational Service Center of the Western Reserve and longtime colleague of Markwardt, presented him the award during the West Geauga Schools Board of Education meeting.
It honors administrators who demonstrate a lasting impact across educational communities, Felker said.
“He’s rooted in strong relationships, strategic thinking and an unwavering commitment to excellence,” she added.
Markwardt helped the district navigate absorbing Newbury Schools during the pandemic, Felker told the audience.
“That was definitely monumental in what districts across Ohio would look at as true leadership and engaging those students to be included into a district and take on a new culture,” she added.
Markwardt said he had reservations about coming back to a board meeting this early into his retirement, however, he was instructed by Superintendent Nancy Benincasa to come back Aug. 11.
“I’m to do as she says because she sets the agenda,” he quipped. “So, the woman in charge asked me to come back tonight. The only thing I can say, really, is that nothing that’s accomplished by any leader is done unilaterally, it’s always a team effort.”
In the case of West Geauga, that effort includes the board of education, the community that elected the board, as well as administrators who worked closely with Markwardt to realize the vision he was seeing for the district “in terms of its potential,” he said.
“It also involves our teachers who made that vision a reality and all the people behind the scenes who were the support staff, who get our kids to school, who feed our kids, who keep our buildings clean, who support the rest of us in everything that we do for our kids. So, for that, I very humbly say thank you tonight and thank you, Jennifer,” he added.
Markwardt said he was honored to receive the award.
“You’ve consistently made decisions that are based on one question, ‘What is best for students?’” she said, adding West Geauga ranked 10th in the state’s performance index throughout his 10-year reign as superintendent.
Other accomplishments include restructuring elementary school buildings, expanding vocational and internship programs and leading the district throughout the master facilities planning process, Felker said.
“Your transparency, inclusive and steady leadership has fostered a positive learning environment, elevated student outcomes and positioned West Geauga as a district on the rise,” she said.
