Thirteen years as a New Bloomfield student and another 13 as a district administrator and teacher have prepared Sarah Wisdom to become the district's superintendent.
She replaces David Tramel, who recently retired after six years as New Bloomfield R-3 superintendent. Wisdom took over July 1 and has high praise for Tramel.
"He was really good at his job; he cared about every staff, every child and every parent. He was very much a people person and had a big heart," she said. "And also finances - he brought us back to a place where we were financially stable. Many people still thank him for his service in the district.
"It's up to me to keep that going and for us to keep growing."
Following in Tramel's footsteps could be a daunting task for many people. Wisdom was able to separate herself from other candidates with her strong community ties and familiarity with the area.
"I just knew a lot about the district; I knew where we came from, what Mr. Tramel brought to the district and overall our vision for the future," she said. "I think my time as the communications director, and the special-ed director, as well as my community relations were just some of the biggest things they saw in me."
Wisdom hit the ground running this month. Most of her time has been spent overseeing a variety of meetings and other duties.
Her schedule has not stopped her from crafting an agenda for the district, which will focus on creating a more harmonious environment at New Bloomfield schools.
"I think about bringing the two buildings together; we have two great principals (Julie Gerloff and Jeremy Davidson) who have been here for awhile," Wisdom said.
Wisdom's first school board meeting was Thursday evening.
The board agreed to get a sign for the high school. Funding for the sign will take a coordinated effort over the next two-five years to raise approximately $20,000. The New Bloomfield alumni association, booster club and PTA will be asked to chip in for the sign.
High school/middle school principal Jeremy Davidson outlined some of the new technology the high school will be using, including a new phone system, and discussed preparing juniors for the ACT.