John Kellogg puts the super in superintendent. From liaising with the Westerville board of education, students, staff and families to making sure the district provides meals to students on the free and reduced lunch program, Kellogg does it all.
During a typical year, Kellogg balances the needs of teachers, staff, students and families to keep the district in good order. Plus, he works with the Westerville Board of Education and the Ohio Department of Education.
This year, those needs are compounded as health and safety measures continue to change, and the district dives headfirst into handling diversity, equality and inclusion initiatives with new vigor. Not to mention the complicated issue of school funding
“Right now, circumstances are so unpredictable and so fluid. In general, schools are a rather stable part of community living, rather predictable in nature. Our big twist was, ‘Is there going to be a snow day or not?’” says Kellogg. “(COVID-19) took something that people have leaned on and made it more difficult to rely on in the way that they’re used to. And that’s been probably the biggest challenge.”
Kellogg has been juggling the catch-22 of remote, hybrid and in-person learning. He’s working hard with the board and with each school to provide as many safety measures as possible to get class back in person as soon as it’s deemed safe.
“He’s trying to buy all that we needed just to get back into school pandemic-wise, from air filtration systems to truckloads of hand sanitizer at the same time everybody else is trying to get that,” says Rick Vilardo, past president of the Westerville Board of Education.
Making important decisions regarding the pandemic isn’t easy, especially knowing that every choice will be impacting the lives of students, staff and families
“His response to the community has been one of trying to be open and honest, even when the responses he has given have not been favorably received,” says Vilardo. “He has just faithfully tried to reply to everybody’s voice and that has taken an enormous amount of time and energy.”
“There are people really in a lot of hurt because of this pandemic. Some of what we’ve had to do has not made that easy for them, and so I’m keeping that empathetic soulfulness in mind when I’m making decisions, in knowing when people are engaging me, reminding myself that frustrations and anger oftentimes are a result of that pain,” says Kellogg. “I just have to be thoughtful about that.”
Collaboration is Key
Kellogg will be the first to say he doesn’t do all this work alone. He credits the district teachers, principals and staff for helping the district – and the students in it – succeed as best they can.
“I rely on our principals in those day-to-day teachers, students and family interactions,” he says. “Families tend to view the school as the focus of their relationship with the school district. It’s not my office. It’s not the district office. It is their kid’s school, their kid’s teacher. And so those leaders and the hundreds of decisions they are making each day that impact students and staff and families; I rely on them a lot.”
Kellogg builds community wherever he goes, from working closely with district administration to collaborating with the other superintendents of central Ohio.
“The central Ohio superintendents have leaned on each other a lot the last year around this pandemic. That’s been a big source of support,” he says. “We lean on each other for ideas, for problem solving, for sharing resources and for support.”
It’s not just other superintendents that Kellogg collaborates with for new ideas, though. Each high school has a superintendent’s ad - visory council made up of students with whom he meets regularly.
“He seeks guidance from them on hot button issues, for example the equity issue,” says Vilardo.
“One of things I enjoy about what comes from my position is seeing there’s a component of leadership and innovation and community development that is really strong across a lot of entities,” Kellogg adds. “I find that energizing and motivating.”
Outside of the school community, Kellogg spends time volunteering for both the Westerville Sunrise Rotary and the Alpha Group of Delaware, which is a nonprofit that works with adults who have disabilities.
“I am a proud member of Sunrise Rotary, and in both those entities, Sunrise and Alpha, I enjoy the opportunity to volunteer and give my leadership and give my support for all kinds of great academic activities that bring me satisfaction,” he says.
For all the work Kellogg has done to support the Westerville community, Vilardo gives a word of thanks.
“From me and the board of education, thanks for being a leader who is attempting to do what’s best for the kids of the district,” he says.
Q&A with Superintendent Kellogg
Westerville Magazine: How do you define a hero?
John Kellogg: There’s a book called Natural Born Heroes by Christopher McDougall and there’s a quote in there that essentially says a hero has to be strong enough for themselves and for the people they’re going to take care of. It’s going outside of yourself and being about the other person and in my mind, that makes you heroic.
WM: Who are your biggest heroes?
JK: Every classroom teacher who is assigned students during this crisis is a hero. I mean, they’re balancing their own personal lives and all of the concerns during the pandemic that come from that with the expectations that come from being part of our organization and working with kids. They have, as a group, really risen to the occasion.
WM: What’s your favorite hobby?
JK: I do a lot of running. That’s probably my therapy. It’s also part of my competitive nature. And it’s just a part of me that’s been there for a long, long time that’s important to me for a lot of different reasons.
WM: Favorite place to run in Westerville?
JK: Any of the bike trails here!
WM: Who is your biggest supporter?
JK: My wife has been by my side for over 30 years, and a partner in my professional journey and is an insider to all of what comes with being a school superintendent in the community. And her patience and her feedback, her criticism, her desire to be a partner with me and help me be a a better person is stupendous.
Sarah Robinson is a contributing editor. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
