May 11, 2023 | EFCTS
Following a vote held by the Eastland-Fairfield Career & Technical Schools Board of Education on Wednesday night, it was approved that Mrs. Shelley Groves will serve as the District’s next superintendent/CEO.
Groves is deeply invested in Eastland-Fairfield having spent her entire 26-year education career in various roles within the District. She is currently serving as the District’s assistant superintendent, a post she has held since 2018. Groves will assume her duties as Eastland-Fairfield Superintendent/CEO on August 1, 2023.
“On behalf of the Board of Education, we are excited to be welcoming Shelley [Groves] into a new role as superintendent and CEO of Eastland-Fairfield,” said Board of Education president, Mr. Bill McGowan. “Shelley’s passion for education and others is, without a doubt, one of her biggest strengths. We are confident that her experience in the classroom and as an administrator will help continue the progress we’ve made as a district and serve our students, families, and communities very well.”
“I am incredibly excited and humbled to continue the work that the entire district has dedicated itself to, now as superintendent,” said Groves. “Thank you to the Board of Education for trusting me with this incredible responsibility and opportunity, and to Dr. Kim [Pietsch] Miller for her support and mentorship.”
Groves joined Eastland-Fairfield in 1997 as a mathematics teacher at Fairfield Career Center, a position she held until 2011. During this time, she also served as the lead advisor for the SkillsUSA career technical student organization. In 2004, she was named EFCTS Teacher of the Year.
After 14 years in the classroom, she moved to an administrative position as Fairfield Career Center’s assistant principal. After two years in that role, Groves was elevated to become the principal of FCC where she led the campus for five years.
In 2018, she made the move to the EFCTS District Office to assume the assistant superintendent position. Over the last five years, Groves has led efforts to significantly expand opportunities for students through work-based learning, inquiry-based learning, and the expansion of Career Connections middle school programs in Eastland-Fairfield associate schools. She was pivotal in helping to build the District’s strategic plan, which has guided much of its progress over the last three years. Groves has also helped strengthen connections with area business partners through her work hosting the District’s annual Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) meeting.
She succeeds Dr. Kimberly Pietsch Miller, who announced her retirement in January following a 34-year career in public education.
“I am thrilled that the Board of Education has selected Shelley [Groves] as the next superintendent of Eastland-Fairfield,” said Dr. Miller. “Shelley is uniquely qualified to continue the work of the strategic plan and to advance Eastland-Fairfield as a recognized leader in career technical education. I know that our staff and students will benefit from her leadership.”
Eastland-Fairfield and career-technical education in Ohio, in general, has witnessed a surge in high school enrollment numbers over the last five years, in part, due to industry demand. As Groves begins her tenure as superintendent, Eastland-Fairfield is well-positioned to continue its growth and stay on mission to equip, enrich, and engage students in order to prepare them for the next step in their futures.
“With career-technical education on the rise combined with the state’s support of CTE programming, Eastland-Fairfield is in a prime position to continue to strengthen our current programming, as well as explore opportunities for future programs and facility expansion,” said Groves. “Everything we do is designed to serve our high school and adult students, families, staff, and communities in the best possible way. I can’t wait to begin this journey.”
About Eastland-Fairfield
Eastland-Fairfield Career & Technical Schools is the seventh-largest career and technical education district, geographically, in the State of Ohio. We serve more than 5,000 students in 16 school districts throughout Franklin, Fairfield and Pickaway counties. Eastland-Fairfield provides more than 35 programs to over 1,600 high school and adult students. The district has two main campuses — Eastland Career Center in Groveport and Fairfield Career Center in Carroll, with satellite locations at four of our associate high schools: Gahanna Lincoln, Groveport Madison, New Albany, and Pickerington North.
Founded in 1969. Eastland-Fairfield Career & Technical Schools’ mission is to engage, enrich, and equip students every day in every experience. We prepare students to pursue their life’s next E: Employment, Enlistment, Entrepreneurship, and/or additional Education. Visit us online at www.eastlandfairfield.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn for regular updates, fun content and information.