Kenstons Lee Set to Retire in August

January 9, 2014 by

Current Kenston Schools Superintendent Robert A. Lee may not be related to famed Civil War general Robert E. Lee, but both men have one thing in common: They were leaders, well-respected by those under their command … and will be missed.
The school board accepted the superintendent’s resignation effective Aug. 1 at a regular school board meeting Monday night.
Tuesday morning, Lee told the Geauga County Maple Leaf he was grateful for the opportunity to serve the community.
“I love being part of the Kenston family,” he said.
From North Ridgeville to a New District
Prior to coming to Kenston in 1990, Lee served as assistant superintendent for North Ridgeville Schools.
“When I first got here, (then-U.S. Alternate) Route 422 ended at state Route 91,” he said, adding Kenston was somewhat remote at the time and hard to access.
The December 1992 opening of the thoroughfare to its current terminus at state Route 44 in Auburn Township was instrumental in Kenston’s growth, Lee said, adding subsequent residential and commercial development benefited the school district.
He said the school district embraced technology as the years rolled on and said he was glad to be part of the process that helped get a new high school and auditorium built in 2005. The school board is still in the “conceptual phase” of constructing a superintendent search process.
“They haven’t got that far yet,” Lee said of the board. “They will make sure they find the right candidate.”
Lee was vital in helping the school district blossom upon being hired more than 23 years ago, said School Board President Anne Randall.
“I’m Bob’s biggest cheerleader,” said Randall, adding she has known him since he was hired.
“Bob is the epitome of what a superintendent should be,”?she said. “He is exemplary in every sense of the word.”
Randall said she was teacher representative on the superintendent hiring committee at the time. Although she retired in 1995 and had worked with him while as a teacher for four years, in later years she served on the school board.
As a board member, she developed a different working relationship with Lee.
“He’s not only creative, but financially creative as well, and he’s one of the reasons why we have gone so long without a levy,” the president said. “He can think outside of the box.”
‘His Impact Has Been Enormous’
The four-building district, which serves about 3,100 students in Auburn and Bainbridge townships, hired Lee in August 1990.
He retired in January 2012 and was re-hired at a $130,000 annual salary for three years, spanning February 2012 to July 2015. Lee is retiring at the end of his second year of the three-year contract, Randall said.
She said Lee, who is a Bainbridge Township resident, told the board he is hoping to be accessible and still involved with the community.
“Our next superintendent would be wise to use him, as Bob is a community person,” Randall said.
She said the impact Lee made on the community was felt even in the procedures used to pass the motion.
“Nobody would make it, but finally, Chief (former Bainbridge police chief and school board member James Jimison) made the motion and someone else seconded it,” Randall said.
She talked about Lee’s legacy.
“His impact has been enormous,” the board president added. “We’re going to have huge shoes to fill. I am confident we will have a smooth transition. What a terrific leader. He will be missed.”
Lee said the boards over the years have brought stability to the district, with many board members serving over a decade in some cases.
“I loved working together with them,” he said.
Lee said he would retire, but still remain active in the community, with various organizations such as the Chagrin Valley Chamber of Commerce and Chagrin Valley Rotary Club.
Jimison, the former police chief, said even prior to becoming a board member, he valued the importance of Lee’s communication with local law enforcement and fire departments.
“I was a police chief for 35 years and worked closely together with the school district,” he said, adding the superintendent was well-respected in a first-responder context.
Jimison said Lee looked him up after being hired and they went to lunch to learn more about each other.
“He was interested in what the community was like and wanted to know about it from my perspective,” Jimison said. “Bob has added stability to this position. He brought a lot of integrity and moved the school system forward during his many years here.
“It’s a tough job,” he added. “But I will miss him and wish him the best in his retirement.”