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Near Slam Dunk

THE BRIDGEPORT Board of Education did its homework well. It didn’t rush into a quick replacement for outgoing superintendent Ted Downing.

Board members thoroughly scoured some 20 candidates, staging countless interviews over the course of several weeks.

As a result, the Bridgeport Exempted School District will soon be welcoming a quality new leader. Zac Shutler will officially assume his new charge on Aug. 1.

He first must fulfill his contractual obligations with Ohio County Schools where he has exhibited exemplary service in many different capacities.

Shutler’s current position is that of principal at Bethlehem and West Liberty elementary schools, an assignment he has held since 2012. He cut his teaching teeth at River High before travels to Warwood Elementary and Triadelphia Middle schools.

For a 35-year-old, Shutler boasts impressive experience. The former all-Ohio football player at St. John Central also features the energy needed for the task.

We congratulate Shutler on becoming Bridgeport’s new school superintendent. We have total confidence that he will excel in that capacity.

The Bridgeport Board of Education, however, did come up one step short in this scenario. The board would have delivered a grand slam if it opted to combine Shutler’s new position with that of high school principal.

Such a meshing of duties would have proven a financial coup for the district. Eliminating a principal’s salary and the benefits that go with it may have shaved upward of $70,000 to $80,000 annually from the district’s budget. For local school districts, that is major savings.

The dual role has played out seamlessly in two neighboring school districts — St. Clairsville and Shadyside, both of which are larger than Bridgeport.

The Bridgeport Board of Education gets high marks for its hiring of Shutler. The same cannot be said for its failure to tighten its fiscal belt.

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