Ohio Educational Leader Named Poland

Craig Hockenberry has an extensive leadership resume in Ohio education that includes a successful revitalization of Oyler School in Cincinnati as principal. Building on a track record of transformative success, Craig Hockenberry earned inclusion on the Poland Board of Education’s short list of candidates for the new superintendent of schools in April 2021.

Following an intensive vetting and due diligence process that emphasized the need for dynamic, proven leadership qualities, Mr. Hockenberry was offered a position as incoming superintendent. The contract lasts until 2024 and reflects confidence in the work of a committed professional with lifelong roots in Northeast Ohio communities, ranging from the urban to rural.

Among the elements expected to influence Mr. Hockenberry’s tenure in the new position is past success in building lasting partnerships that included a unique community learning center model and career programs that reached vulnerable students through practical support and guidance. Innovations included on-campus health and vision centers, as well as nutritional support programs. Over the years, he has also been able to marshal local resources behind classroom construction and curriculum expansion efforts in ways that meaningfully enriched the academic environment.

Craig Hockenberry Selected As

With an extensive leadership background in education, Craig Hockenberry served as a principal with the Cincinnati Public Schools for many years and oversaw a successful turnaround at Oyler School. In May 2021, Craig Hockenberry, most recently serving as a school superintendent in Hamilton County, accepted a three-year appointment by the Poland (Ohio) Board of Education as superintendent of the Poland Local Schools.

As reported in the Vindicator, Mr. Hockenberry has ties with the local community that extend back to his high school days. As an athlete in Malvern, he was coached by a native resident of Poland. This football mentorship allowed him to thrive and ultimately play for Mount St. Joseph College.

At a special evening board meeting in which he was introduced to the community, the new superintendent was accompanied by his wife and three children. His 12-year old son called the local area “very old, but nice,” and his wife described having a passion for historic residences, of which there are many in Poland. It’s expected that the “Bulldog family” will provide a place for the Hockenberrys to spread roots, while the new superintendent advances the school district’s ambitious educational mission and goals.