Bridgeport introduces new principal, staff members ahead of school year

BRIDGEPORT -- Aaron Marovich will take the reins as principal of Bridgeport Middle School this fall as the newest member of the Bridgeport Exempted Village School District leadership team.

The board of education welcomed him during its recent meeting, where he introduced himself and shared his hopes for the young Bulldogs, including upholding traditions and bringing new ideas as students move from elementary school to high school.

Marovich was immediately drawn to the family atmosphere and Bulldog culture.

"It's a small, tight-knit community. Everyone here just seemed excited to bring future Bulldogs to become future leaders of society. I really liked the job," he said, adding that the community that drives the district made an impression.

"Everyone here seems eager to learn and ambitious to grow."

The middle school principal position is a dream come true for Marovich, who developed a passion for education early in high school when he found fulfillment in mentoring younger students. That led him to pursue an Early Childhood Education degree at Muskingum University.

He initially worked in Powhatan Point as a behavioral educator through the Reaching Independence through Structured Education (RISE) program. Marovich saw Bridgeport's middle school principal position as a perfect opportunity to take his next step.

"I realized I would love to broaden my lens and take it to a full-scale level and become a leader."

He was drawn to the middle school level because of the opportunity to guide young people who are finding their way to adulthood. Bridgeport Schools has embraced the philosophy of helping students discover their strengths and introducing them to career paths where they can use their aptitudes to thrive. The middle school is giving students an early look at those opportunities through enrichment courses.

Marovich is already looking forward to working with students as they launch into their futures.

"What really made me decide on middle school was seeing the growth," he said. "For the students, I want them to come in excited to learn and ready to grow. I want them to discover who they are. I want them to explore the opportunities they have."

He added that he intends to be a transformational leader.

"I want to lead with instruction and intent, and make this school the best that it can be."

Marovich has begun meeting with middle school teachers ahead of the upcoming school year.

"I really want their input on what it is we want to do and how we're going to move this initiative forward, and I'd really like the students to take ownership. The students are going to have a choice for what they want. They can build their own education and create that independence that they need for high school and further on."

In his personal life, Marovich is an avid runner and has played baseball and basketball. He will marry his fiancée in August. He added that he is thrilled to be part of the Bulldog family.

"Go Dogs!"

Bridgeport Schools will have more new faces in classrooms during the 2026-27 school year, including new kindergarten teacher and junior high cheer coach Alexis Klimas, a 2022 graduate returning to her alma mater.

"It's like coming home. You walk in and you know where everything is, you know everyone. Everyone is always smiling. It's a family."

Eighth grade math teacher Hope Lewis also will begin work this fall.

"Everyone that I've interacted with has been incredibly nice, and I'm just really excited to be a part of a team that seems to care so much about their students."

Some new positions also will open when the multipurpose facility, to be called "the Bridge," begins operation. Taylor Watson joined the district as a veterinary technology instructor and brings a wealth of experience.

"I'm just super excited to teach and have other kids involved in my love of veterinary medicine and get their hands in the field."

John Martin, a U.S. Army veteran with an extensive background in engineering, education and entrepreneurship, will be the engineering and science technology instructor. He is excited to be on the ground floor of building a career technical education engineering program for students in eighth through 12th grades.

"There's a lot to be done in the digital space and the physical space," he said. "The program is focused on robotics. Unmanned aerial vehicles is the type of robot, and also robots that move on the ground. We're going to be working both on the programming side of it to build up a simulation environment where the kids can test their builds before they build the thing physically, then we'll build them."

The process will require troubleshooting, and he foresees his students learning from experience as they return to the digital drawing board.

"It's going to be a lot of fun, and challenging."

Administrative assistant Nicole McConnaughy also will contribute to the welcoming atmosphere at the front desk.

Superintendent Brent Ripley reported the district has been working hard to fill positions for the coming year's new initiatives.

"The team has been doing a lot of interviewing."

He added that the public has taken notice. Enrollment has increased by more than 70 students, with almost 30 waiting for open enrollment.