For as long Ravenna graduate Ben Ribelin has worked in the education system, he has served his alma mater with pride. He will carry more responsibility after having been named the interim superintendent by the Board of Education in a special meeting on July 1.
“As a former student and teacher and administrator I am thrilled,” Ribelin told The Weekly Villager on July 9. “Ravenna has been my life through kindergarten all the way through this point today and I am honored to be a part of it and serve the community and students of Ravenna.”
The 1995 Ravens’ alum served as the assistant superintendent under former superintendent Dr. Laura Hebert for the last two years. He will succeed Dr. Hebert, who is moving on after three years of service and entering semi-retirement.
In addition to Ribelin’s promotion, former curriculum director Lee Smith will inherit his old post as assistant superintendent. With the promotions of both men, the curriculum director’s position will be eliminated as both men will share the responsibilities. Ribelin’s tenure as the new superintendent begins on Aug. 1 and he is currently working with Dr. Hebert and Smith to create a smooth transition process.
“Mr. Smith and I work great together, and we are excited to be a team together up at the high school,” Ribelin noted. “His continuation of the curriculum initiatives that he has started for our district have shown some really positive results and will continue, as well as the continuity of a lot of policies and procedures that we already do.”
Dr. Hebert formally announced her decision to not renew her contract with the Ravenna School District in May and Ravenna launched a search consisting of both internal and external candidates to replace her. Ultimately, the Board of Education decided to stay in-house and promote the homegrown Ribelin to take over for Dr. Hebert.
For Ribelin, his first responsibilities will include navigating Ravenna’s unstable financial situation, which carried more uncertainty after an operating levy failed to pass earlier this spring.
“We have not passed an operating levy in 19 years so we are continuing to try and do that through the right sizing of our district, through attrition and reductions in force, as well as looking at all of our budgets to see how we can further spread our money to buy what we need,” Ribelin added.
According to Ribelin, he hopes that Ravenna will finally be able to pass the operating levy this November so the school district’s priorities can return to teaching and learning but for right now, he begins his tenure in turbulent times.
Ribelin’s Ravenna roots can be traced back all the way to his grandparents when they attended the Ravenna school district. Even when Ribelin was studying at Kent State University, he also coached Ravenna sports.
Following his graduation, Ribelin was hired as the sixth-grade math teacher while coaching varsity girls’ soccer and middle school wrestling.
Once he earned his Master’s Degree, Ribelin served as a building administrator in several of Ravenna’s lower schools. He continued moving up the ranks in the Board of Education office when he landed the position of Director of Curriculum & Instruction in grades K-5.
“As educators you are asked to go back and complete coursework to keep up on your certifications; each time I worked toward a degree,” he said. “I got my principal’s license with my Master’s and decided to take the next step. I don’t know if anything was quite planned that would culminate in this but as I worked, I felt I was ready to take the next step.”
Ribelin served in the Ravenna Board Office for 10 years before ultimately taking over as superintendent. He said one of his biggest goals is to show the best of Ravenna, something he knows very well, given his experience in the school district as a former student.
“We have a lot of great things,” Ribelin said. “We have a lot of great staff members, students, accomplishments, we have a beautiful building and a beautiful facility. We are on the rise with our report cards and as a district we just need to showcase and highlight that and tell the community we want to get better.”
In addition to being proud to become the new superintendent of his alma matter, Ribelin acknowledged that he also understands the responsibility that falls on his shoulders.
“I want to do my best for every single person in this district and community,” he said. “It is super special because it is home and I plan on staying here for a long time and watching my children finish school and watching Ravenna flourish.”
