GRANGER – After serving as principal of Highland High School for six years, Dana Addis is leaving to accept the position of superintendent of the Norton City Schools.
His new position is especially meaningful to Addis, who was born and raised in Norton and graduated from Norton High School in 1984. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in telecommunications from Kent State University in 1988, Addis soon realized this career field was not for him. “It was only a short while,” Addis said, adding, “but it was long enough to know it wasn’t for me.”
So he re-enrolled at KSU that fall and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education in 1992. Several years later, he received his master’s degree in educational administration from The University of Akron.
By 1990, Addis had already begun his teaching and coaching career at Norton High School. He also coached at Smithville High School. From August 1994 to August 2007, Addis taught English at Copley High School and from August 1999 through May 2007 he served as varsity head boys’ basketball coach. He was honored as state of Ohio basketball coach of the year in 2007, in addition to being named as Summit County basketball coach of the year. He then accepted the position of athletic administrator at Copley, where he remained until August 2010, when he became an assistant principal at Strongsville High School.
Highland-bound
What attracted Addis to Highland, where he became high school principal in August 2011? Addis said that when he was a basketball coach at Copley, the two teams competed.
“I noticed how the Highland students conducted themselves. They were respectful, hardworking and well-supported by the community,” he said. “That observation gave me the impetus to apply for the principal’s job at Highland.”
As for his time at Highland, Addis said he spent most of the first year listening and learning. A proponent of the team approach, he then met with teachers, counselors, administrators and community members.
“Changes surfaced from these discussions,” he said.
These include changing the grading scale from a seven-point to a 10-point scale (e.g. An A was 93 to 100; now an A is 90 to 100); the intercultural program is well underway with sister schools in China, Spain and France; and a new schedule at the high school gives students a 45-minute period in the middle of the day to confer with teachers, or meet with a counselor, or do homework.
Commenting on Addis’ accomplishments at Highland, Superintendent Catherine Aukerman said, “Mr. Addis led several major initiatives while at Highland High School including the development of a comprehensive ‘Sister-School’ World Language Travel and Exchange Program between Highland and high schools in China, Spain and France. He worked steadily to increase Advanced Placement course offerings and overall student participation in those courses,” she said, adding, “Most recently, he led efforts to reconstruct the high school master schedule to implement an Academic Learning Lab period, which provides students additional time for math and science labs, includes a Guest Lecture Series (similar to TED Talks) and provides students with one-on-one remedial or enrichment time with teachers.” She said Addis has remained a driving force for many positive changes at Highland.
As for Addis, he said, “I wouldn’t be leaving Highland to go just anywhere. Being in my hometown where I had spent my first 25 years, the available position at Norton Schools tugged at me emotionally.” He said he was prompted to explore further if the job would be a good fit for him and for the Norton Schools. He felt it would be. The rest is history.
About his experience with the Highland students, Addis said, “They are the most respectful students I’ve ever seen.” He said he has had great kids wherever he has taught, “but I’m talking about a whole building of 1,100 kids who know the meaning of respect and implement it,” he explained.
“I will certainly miss them,” Addis said.