September 10, 2023 • 10 mins
Dr Cathy Trevathan, -Hillsdale Schools Superintendent, just took over the role on August 1st, 2023. Cathy was born in southwestern Ohio and has spent time working in multiple school districts during her career. She shares about high school, college and her career path, along with the great new facilities at Hillsdale. Cathy talks about her family and what brought her to Hillsdale on the podcast.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
The CEO you should know, broughtto you by Robie Foster Miller Eric Insurance.
This week's CEO doctor Kathy Trevathan,superintendent of the Hillsdale Local School Today
we're gonna shine the spotlight in AshlandCounty on the Hillsdale Local School District.
(00:21):
We have their new superintendent with usvia the telephone this morning, doctor Kathy
Trevathan. Kathy, Good morning,How are you today? Good morning?
I'm fantastic. How are you?I'm good. Great to hear your voice.
As we begin, I say youare the new superintendent. So if
we could start there, when didyou officially take over? So I officially
(00:44):
became the superintendent at Hillsdale on Augustfirst? All right, so could we
begin with a little bit of backgroundin terms of education other school districts we're
all have you work? Could youtell us about that? Well? I
have an interesting pass, probably onethat not many people have taken. I
grew up in Harrison, Ohio,which is down kind of on the Indiana
(01:06):
border. And I graduated from theCollege of Mount Saint Joseph. With my
undergrad and I went into the UnitedStates Peace Corps. So I spent two
years in Bulgaria, teaching English asa foreign language. And then I went
to Turkey and taught for a yearat Actinis College. And then I came
(01:26):
back to Harrison and taught for acouple of years, and then I went
out to the Hopie Reservation in Arizona, taught English out there for a couple
of years, went back to Harrison, and I had my master's in special
education at that time, and soI started teaching for Southwest Local School District
(01:46):
for a couple of years with specialeducation. Taught at Indian Hill School District
for a few years in special education, got my administrative degree, my master's
degree at administration, and went toHuber Height for a couple of years,
and I got a call from somepeople I knew at Little Miami School District
to become the director of student servicesthere. So I did that for three
(02:08):
years and they asked me to becomethe high school principal at Little Miami High
School. So I spent ten yearsthere and decided that I was ready to
be a superintendent and I wanted tobe in a smaller district and give more
opportunities to my own children. Soit's wide an interviewed at Hillsdale and here
I am. We moved from theCincinnati area in July. I've got two
(02:30):
sons and my husband and four catsand we all moved up here to the
Mansfield area. All right, greatstory this morning. This week's CEO,
you should know learning about the newsuperintendent in Hillsdale. That is doctor Kathy
Trevathan. Kathy, could I quicklyask you what drew you to Hillsdale.
I know that there's a lot ofgreat things in the district we're going to
(02:53):
get to that's been going on,new facilities, but what drew you to
come here? Hillsdale is just anamazing place. It's a small school district.
We have about nine hundred and twentyfive students and we're coming from a
district of six thousand students. Ihad fifteen hundred students just at the high
school the last few years my ownchildren were in. Class size is of
(03:13):
about four hundred and thirty four hundredand fifty, and so now we're at
Hillsdale, class sizes of about sixtyfive. Both boys are playing football and
the people have just been amazing.Hillsdale has a brand new building that we
just moved into this week with kids. So this is our first week with
students there, and it's been amazing, absolutely amazing, and I wouldn't want
(03:37):
to be anywhere else. All right, glad to learn this morning about doctor
Kathy Trevathan. All Right, well, Kathy, while we're on the topic
of the school district, could yousay it again if people missed it?
Roughly? How many students do youhave across the district in the entire districts
about nine hundred and twenty five students, and we just moved into a brand
(03:58):
new building that's a PK twelve building, So we're all in one building,
including the board office. All right, So I'm sure that is terrific to
have everybody under one roof. Right, Oh, it's fantastic, yes,
Kathy. How many teachers do youguys have this school year in the district.
We have about forty five teachers,about one hundred staff members across the
board. You know what's funny youmentioned about one hundred staff members and you
(04:21):
think of bus drivers, you thinkof cafeteria. A lot of people to
make a school district go right away, I always kind of joke with superintendents
it's like running a big business,right with it with everything you got oversea.
It is it is, and ittakes everybody to make a school district
work. It's everybody is just asimportant as the next person. Well,
(04:43):
Kathy, if we could, let'sstep away again from the school district,
learn a little bit more about you. If people missed it, let's go
back to the beginning. Where wasdoctor Kathy Trevathan born born in Harrison,
Ohio and grew up on a farmof one hundred and thirty acres. My
father was a social studies teacher andhe was also a farrier. My mother
(05:08):
was a pe health teacher, andI probably had the best childhood I possibly
could have. All right, we'llglad to learn about that. Now,
could you tell us where did yougo to high school? William Henry Harrison
High School, but everybody calls itHarrison High School? All right, now,
Kathy, growing up, I meanyou told us where you went to
college and different things you've did,what you know, with the Peace Corps
(05:30):
and things like that, growing upto what were the aspirations did you think
one day you'd be an educator,you know, a superintendent? What were
the I guess what were you thinkingwhen you were growing up? Well,
when I started college at the MountSaint Though, I started in business because
everybody kept telling me I was goingto be a teacher, with both of
my parents being teachers and all ofthe camps and things like that that I
(05:50):
helped that in volleyball and tennis andteaching, and when you're eighteen, a
lot of times you don't want todo what everybody else is telling you you're
going to do. So I startedin business, realize that was not for
me and switched to education and I'vebeen in education ever since. Well,
Kathy, while we're on the topicof you when you're not working, and
(06:11):
I know you know you mentioned earlieryou have kids, you have a husband,
of course, a job running aschool district. But when you have
time away from work, do youhave any hobbies? What do you do
in your spare time? Well,both boys are in football right now,
so we're at a lot of footballgames and then basketball will hit and then
baseball, so we're at a lotof sporting events to watch them, which
is which is great. We didget to spend some time out on the
(06:34):
lakes the other I guess last weekend. So the boys like to fish and
I like to be out there onthe lake as well. So we are
a busy family, that's for sure. All right. Terrific to learn this
morning about doctor Kathy Trevathan, newsuperintendent at the Hillsdale Schools. Before I
let her go, you brought upfootball. The Falcons off to a good
start and football all sports at Hillstreethere. I'm sure I know you're not
(06:59):
from the area. You're quickly learning. There's been a lot of success in
sports in the Hillsdale Schools. Yes, there has, and the kids are
fantastic. We got an email theother day from a server at bob Evans
and Ashland and shout out to thatperson. We have a football group of
boys that go to breakfast on Fridaymornings at bob Evans and gee email to
(07:20):
let us know how great our kidswere, how polite they were, how
they cleaned up that for themselves,and they were also really good tippers.
And so that was a really neatemail to get and yes, go Falcon.
All right. Well, Kathy,before I let you go, two
things quickly. You brought up newfacility. I know recently you know the
(07:41):
football field had you know, newturf put on it. There have been
a lot of improvements in the districtin recent years. There's a lot of
excitement in the schools. How haseverything gone for you guys starting the new
school year. It really has beengreat. I mean, there are some
hiccups moving into a brand new building, but it's just it's a beautiful,
full facility. We had we hostedyouth football this past Saturday, and so
(08:05):
we had schools coming in that hadn'tbeen there yet, lots of people and
they were just the view from thefields. We've got turf baseball field,
we've got a turf softball field,obviously turf football field, and so that
stadium is beautiful and then you lookat the building and it's just it's just
absolutely gorgeous. Our kids have absolutelytop notch resources at Hillsdale. Well,
(08:28):
Kathy is to let you go ifsomebody has a question, you know,
they want to get more information aboutsomething in the school district. I'm assuming
the website's the place to go,Hillsdale K twelve dot oh dot us.
I'm sure they can get phone numbersand how to get in touch with somebody
right. Absolutely, go to ourwebsite and contact any of our wonderful staff
(08:50):
and anyone would be glad to shareour story. All right, Kathy,
did did I miss anything this morning? You want you want to let people
know about we covered new things inthe district, new school. Did we
miss it's anything the public should knowabout? I don't think. So.
Come out and visit us and seewhat we've got and and again we've got
a fantastic staff, we've got fantastickids, and we are ready to go
(09:11):
this year. All right, goto the website if you haven't been there,
and I'm looking at the photo ofthe new school. All kinds of
great information at the school website againHillsdale dot K twelve dot oh dot us.
This week, CEO you should knowthe new superintendent of the Hillsdale Schools,
doctor Kathy Trevathan. Well, Kathy, we've enjoyed the visit learning about
you and about the entire district atHillsdale. Thanks for joining us and we
(09:35):
wish you continued success. Thank youvery much. Have a great day,
Doctor Kathy Trevathan, Superintendent of theHillsdale Local School District. The CEO you
should know rita bio, see aphoto and hear the extended interview at WMAANFM
dot com. Leading means having avision and sharing it with others. I'm
(09:58):
John Ruby of r F and MEInsurance. We're excited to bring you this
program featuring CEOs from our area whowill share the thoughts of what it means
to work and live in north centralOhio.
The CEO you should know, broughtto you by Robie Foster Miller Eric Insurance.
This week's CEO doctor Kathy Trevathan,superintendent of the Hillsdale Local School Today
we're gonna shine the spotlight in AshlandCounty on the Hillsdale Local School District.
(00:21):
We have their new superintendent with usvia the telephone this morning, doctor Kathy
Trevathan. Kathy, Good morning,How are you today? Good morning?
I'm fantastic. How are you?I'm good. Great to hear your voice.
As we begin, I say youare the new superintendent. So if
we could start there, when didyou officially take over? So I officially
(00:44):
became the superintendent at Hillsdale on Augustfirst? All right, so could we
begin with a little bit of backgroundin terms of education other school districts we're
all have you work? Could youtell us about that? Well? I
have an interesting pass, probably onethat not many people have taken. I
grew up in Harrison, Ohio,which is down kind of on the Indiana
(01:06):
border. And I graduated from theCollege of Mount Saint Joseph. With my
undergrad and I went into the UnitedStates Peace Corps. So I spent two
years in Bulgaria, teaching English asa foreign language. And then I went
to Turkey and taught for a yearat Actinis College. And then I came
(01:26):
back to Harrison and taught for acouple of years, and then I went
out to the Hopie Reservation in Arizona, taught English out there for a couple
of years, went back to Harrison, and I had my master's in special
education at that time, and soI started teaching for Southwest Local School District
(01:46):
for a couple of years with specialeducation. Taught at Indian Hill School District
for a few years in special education, got my administrative degree, my master's
degree at administration, and went toHuber Height for a couple of years,
and I got a call from somepeople I knew at Little Miami School District
to become the director of student servicesthere. So I did that for three
(02:08):
years and they asked me to becomethe high school principal at Little Miami High
School. So I spent ten yearsthere and decided that I was ready to
be a superintendent and I wanted tobe in a smaller district and give more
opportunities to my own children. Soit's wide an interviewed at Hillsdale and here
I am. We moved from theCincinnati area in July. I've got two
(02:30):
sons and my husband and four catsand we all moved up here to the
Mansfield area. All right, greatstory this morning. This week's CEO,
you should know learning about the newsuperintendent in Hillsdale. That is doctor Kathy
Trevathan. Kathy, could I quicklyask you what drew you to Hillsdale.
I know that there's a lot ofgreat things in the district we're going to
(02:53):
get to that's been going on,new facilities, but what drew you to
come here? Hillsdale is just anamazing place. It's a small school district.
We have about nine hundred and twentyfive students and we're coming from a
district of six thousand students. Ihad fifteen hundred students just at the high
school the last few years my ownchildren were in. Class size is of
(03:13):
about four hundred and thirty four hundredand fifty, and so now we're at
Hillsdale, class sizes of about sixtyfive. Both boys are playing football and
the people have just been amazing.Hillsdale has a brand new building that we
just moved into this week with kids. So this is our first week with
students there, and it's been amazing, absolutely amazing, and I wouldn't want
(03:37):
to be anywhere else. All right, glad to learn this morning about doctor
Kathy Trevathan. All Right, well, Kathy, while we're on the topic
of the school district, could yousay it again if people missed it?
Roughly? How many students do youhave across the district in the entire districts
about nine hundred and twenty five students, and we just moved into a brand
(03:58):
new building that's a PK twelve building, So we're all in one building,
including the board office. All right, So I'm sure that is terrific to
have everybody under one roof. Right, Oh, it's fantastic, yes,
Kathy. How many teachers do youguys have this school year in the district.
We have about forty five teachers,about one hundred staff members across the
board. You know what's funny youmentioned about one hundred staff members and you
(04:21):
think of bus drivers, you thinkof cafeteria. A lot of people to
make a school district go right away, I always kind of joke with superintendents
it's like running a big business,right with it with everything you got oversea.
It is it is, and ittakes everybody to make a school district
work. It's everybody is just asimportant as the next person. Well,
(04:43):
Kathy, if we could, let'sstep away again from the school district,
learn a little bit more about you. If people missed it, let's go
back to the beginning. Where wasdoctor Kathy Trevathan born born in Harrison,
Ohio and grew up on a farmof one hundred and thirty acres. My
father was a social studies teacher andhe was also a farrier. My mother
(05:08):
was a pe health teacher, andI probably had the best childhood I possibly
could have. All right, we'llglad to learn about that. Now,
could you tell us where did yougo to high school? William Henry Harrison
High School, but everybody calls itHarrison High School? All right, now,
Kathy, growing up, I meanyou told us where you went to
college and different things you've did,what you know, with the Peace Corps
(05:30):
and things like that, growing upto what were the aspirations did you think
one day you'd be an educator,you know, a superintendent? What were
the I guess what were you thinkingwhen you were growing up? Well,
when I started college at the MountSaint Though, I started in business because
everybody kept telling me I was goingto be a teacher, with both of
my parents being teachers and all ofthe camps and things like that that I
(05:50):
helped that in volleyball and tennis andteaching, and when you're eighteen, a
lot of times you don't want todo what everybody else is telling you you're
going to do. So I startedin business, realize that was not for
me and switched to education and I'vebeen in education ever since. Well,
Kathy, while we're on the topicof you when you're not working, and
(06:11):
I know you know you mentioned earlieryou have kids, you have a husband,
of course, a job running aschool district. But when you have
time away from work, do youhave any hobbies? What do you do
in your spare time? Well,both boys are in football right now,
so we're at a lot of footballgames and then basketball will hit and then
baseball, so we're at a lotof sporting events to watch them, which
is which is great. We didget to spend some time out on the
(06:34):
lakes the other I guess last weekend. So the boys like to fish and
I like to be out there onthe lake as well. So we are
a busy family, that's for sure. All right. Terrific to learn this
morning about doctor Kathy Trevathan, newsuperintendent at the Hillsdale Schools. Before I
let her go, you brought upfootball. The Falcons off to a good
start and football all sports at Hillstreethere. I'm sure I know you're not
(06:59):
from the area. You're quickly learning. There's been a lot of success in
sports in the Hillsdale Schools. Yes, there has, and the kids are
fantastic. We got an email theother day from a server at bob Evans
and Ashland and shout out to thatperson. We have a football group of
boys that go to breakfast on Fridaymornings at bob Evans and gee email to
(07:20):
let us know how great our kidswere, how polite they were, how
they cleaned up that for themselves,and they were also really good tippers.
And so that was a really neatemail to get and yes, go Falcon.
All right. Well, Kathy,before I let you go, two
things quickly. You brought up newfacility. I know recently you know the
(07:41):
football field had you know, newturf put on it. There have been
a lot of improvements in the districtin recent years. There's a lot of
excitement in the schools. How haseverything gone for you guys starting the new
school year. It really has beengreat. I mean, there are some
hiccups moving into a brand new building, but it's just it's a beautiful,
full facility. We had we hostedyouth football this past Saturday, and so
(08:05):
we had schools coming in that hadn'tbeen there yet, lots of people and
they were just the view from thefields. We've got turf baseball field,
we've got a turf softball field,obviously turf football field, and so that
stadium is beautiful and then you lookat the building and it's just it's just
absolutely gorgeous. Our kids have absolutelytop notch resources at Hillsdale. Well,
(08:28):
Kathy is to let you go ifsomebody has a question, you know,
they want to get more information aboutsomething in the school district. I'm assuming
the website's the place to go,Hillsdale K twelve dot oh dot us.
I'm sure they can get phone numbersand how to get in touch with somebody
right. Absolutely, go to ourwebsite and contact any of our wonderful staff
(08:50):
and anyone would be glad to shareour story. All right, Kathy,
did did I miss anything this morning? You want you want to let people
know about we covered new things inthe district, new school. Did we
miss it's anything the public should knowabout? I don't think. So.
Come out and visit us and seewhat we've got and and again we've got
a fantastic staff, we've got fantastickids, and we are ready to go
(09:11):
this year. All right, goto the website if you haven't been there,
and I'm looking at the photo ofthe new school. All kinds of
great information at the school website againHillsdale dot K twelve dot oh dot us.
This week, CEO you should knowthe new superintendent of the Hillsdale Schools,
doctor Kathy Trevathan. Well, Kathy, we've enjoyed the visit learning about
you and about the entire district atHillsdale. Thanks for joining us and we
(09:35):
wish you continued success. Thank youvery much. Have a great day,
Doctor Kathy Trevathan, Superintendent of theHillsdale Local School District. The CEO you
should know rita bio, see aphoto and hear the extended interview at WMAANFM
dot com. Leading means having avision and sharing it with others. I'm
(09:58):
John Ruby of r F and MEInsurance. We're excited to bring you this
program featuring CEOs from our area whowill share the thoughts of what it means
to work and live in north centralOhio.
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