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Celestin completing final year at BL

Photo Provided Scott Celestin will mark his final day as superintendent of the Buckeye Local School District on July 31 but looks back fondly on nearly two decades with the district, saying his time with the people has made it all memorable. He will be succeeded by Coy Sudvary in August.

DILLONVALE — As the 2022-23 school year draws to a close, Scott Celestin is capping off his final term as superintendent of Buckeye Local Schools.

Celestin will submit his formal letter during the June 26 school board meeting with plans to officially step down on July 31, but he looks back with pride upon the people he’s worked with and the students he’s served during his nearly two-decade tenure with the district. Buckeye Local includes an estimated 1,700 students and 200 teachers and staff, and he said creating a positive learning climate was of utmost importance.

“One of the goals in my career was to be a superintendent, and the board was gracious enough to give me a chance. I wanted to get Buckeye Local in a good place financially and culturally, and I feel like I’ve achieved that,” he said. “When I say ‘I,’ I mean my team — the schools and the unions. When things go better in the district, it’s everyone working together from the teachers to the board.”

He has been an educator for the past 34 years but spent 19 of them at Buckeye Local, serving as the high school principal in 2004 and later becoming district director of transportation and student services. He held those titles from 2011-17, after which he was named an assistant superintendent. Celestin served as superintendent since December 2020, and his tenure was extended through the current school year in a non-contractual agreement with the school board as it sought a permanent replacement. With former Buckeye Local High School Principal Coy Sudvary named as successor, Celestin will pass the reins come August.

“Mr. Sudvary is a very able, smart man that can handle this,” he said. “We’ll work together this summer during the transition, but I know he’ll continue to do great things for the district.”

Sudvary recalled working for Celestin as a teacher and then as assistant principal before succeeding him as BLHS principal. He praised Celestin’s capabilities and said he did an amazing job for the district.

“He’s always been great to work with. He was always willing to help and give advice and he was beneficial to me with my career,” Sudvary commented. “He’s done everything that’s been asked of him by the district and has always been there for the kids and staff.”

Celestin has seen many changes during his time from staffing to building upgrades but said the students have made his experience incredible.

“The highlights are always going to be the students. I meet kids who amaze me with their compassion when they’ve raised money to help others and helped the special needs kids at our annual Olympics,” he added. “The students at Buckeye Local are nice young men and women, and everywhere they go they inspire people.”

Celestin said he was fortunate to work with many great people both inside and outside the schools.

“We have an amazing staff and it’s a great community. I’ve enjoyed seeing the facilities upgraded and giving principals the ability to think outside the box to come up with grants and ways to update the buildings. I’ve worked with the school board, administrators, staff and community to make the facilities enjoyable for the students to give them a sense of pride.”

Celestin thanked the school board for the opportunity and board President Ashley West responded in kind. Speaking on behalf of the panel, she said he was a tremendous asset to the district and wished him well.

“The board appreciates working with him and he’s always been willing to step up when he’s needed. We appreciate all of the roles he’s done through the years and express our gratitude,” West said. “We wish him the best.”

“I made a lot of memories and experiences,” Celestin concluded. “Like John Wayne, I want to ride off into the sunset.”

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