Brecksville-Broadview Heights board approves hire of Katie Mann as middle school assistant principal

The Brecksville-Broadview Heights Board of Education approved certified personnel recommendations at a special public meeting on July 9, 2025, including hiring Katie Mann as assistant principal at the district middle school and accepting the resignation of Spencer Warders. The board voted unanimously to approve the personnel slate.

District officials said the board moved in a special session to meet a July 10 deadline and completed the hiring after a multi-stage search process. The district received 32 applicants for the assistant principal opening, interviewed 10 candidates, narrowed the field to three finalists and selected Katie Mann, who was introduced to the board at the meeting. Mann is coming from Brunswick City Schools and was described by district staff as having more than 12 years of building leadership experience and a master’s degree in reading; staff said her experience includes intervention specialist work at the high school level and work with elementary and middle school programs that the district expects will strengthen special education offerings.

The vacancy arose after Spencer Warders, the district’s middle school assistant principal for eight years, accepted a position in the community where he and his children live; his letter of resignation was attached to the board agenda, district staff said. Also included on the personnel agenda were other staffing changes: one newly hired teacher who had accepted a spring appointment did not join the district before the start of the school year and has resigned from that position; the district continues to recruit for a math teacher and a three-quarter physical education posting at the high school.

Board members asked whether the open math position would require the district to hire a long-term substitute for the year if a permanent candidate is not found. District staff said the position is posted, they have applicants, and that the district’s typical fallback is to hire a long-term substitute — which commits the district for the school year — if a satisfactory permanent hire is not available. Staff also said a candidate who had been considered strongly for the assistant principal role was being contacted about other openings.

The special meeting was held with no public participation; it was live streamed and recorded for later viewing. The board announced its next regular meeting for July 16, 2025.

Meeting procedural details: the motion on the certified personnel recommendations was made and seconded on the record; roll-call voting recorded affirmative votes from Mrs. Galick, Mrs. Kramer, Mrs. Vykowski, Mrs. O'Mara and Mr. Dawson, and the motion passed.