XENIA — Dr. Gabe Lofton had the interim tag removed from his superintendent title by the Xenia school board Dec. 11.
The board voted 4-0 during its regular meeting to name the 40-year-old the district’s permanent leader after spending a little more than three months as the fill-in. He replaces Denny Morrison, who retired July 31.
“I’m excited about being the new superintendent of the Xenia Community School District,” Lofton said. “I’m excited that it has proceeded quickly and that we can get about doing the business of the school district and working on behalf of this community’s students.”
After finding an interim, the board had planned a separate search for its full-time superintendent. But President Pam Callahan said she and her colleagues saw no reason to not move forward with Lofton.
“We are going to embark on a visioning plan which will include a community forum for potential building options as well as an academic strengthening project,” Callahan said via email. “We can think of no one else but Dr. Lofton to lead this plan. It makes sense that he be transitioned to the role of permanent superintendent. Our interim search was extensive and Gabe was the top candidate. He has worked his plan of establishing community bonds and he fits our district well.”
Lofton, a former Cincinnati Public Schools assistant superintendent, said his sudden promotion will not change what his vision is for Xenia schools.
“We’ll continue to focus on our district goals, which is to increase achievement,” he said, adding that engaging stakeholders on providing the best education for Xenia students is also at the top of the to-do list.
Lofton was initially given a one-year contract as interim. According to the resolution passed at the meeting, Lofton will be employed from Jan. 1, 2018 through July 31, 2018 and prior to that end date, the board and Lofton will negotiate a new contract to begin Aug. 1, 2018.
Lofton attended Mount Healthy schools in the Cincinnati area and did undergraduate and graduate work at Miami University. He received his doctorate in educational administration in 2007.
