photo & permission to print: Todd Meyer
Since the school opened in 2008, the Pioneers have experienced four great principals. But one of the most influential, Todd Meyer, has recently been named the Olentangy District’s new superintendent.
On May 16, the Olentangy Board of Education unanimously voted Meyer to assume the role of superintendent, following Mark Raiff’s announcement that he would retire from the role after eight years, according to Olentangy Local Schools.
Meyer was hired to a 38-month contract, which started on June 1 and will end on July 31, 2026. He will make an annual salary of $215,000, according to The Dispatch.
Before Meyer became superintendent, he had many other positions at many other schools. One of those positions included was the high school’s first ever principal, when it opened in 2008.
“Prior to Olentangy, I have been a teacher, coach, athletic director, principal and head of secondary curriculum,” Meyer said. “I came to Olentangy Schools in 2007 as the principal to open Olentangy Orange High School. After eight years at Orange High School, I moved to Olentangy’s district office as Chief Operations Officer.”
As the school’s first principal, Meyer takes a lot of pride in the culture that he has created. And now, he can still see the lasting effects he had on it to this day.
“Since I opened the school as principal, some of my favorite memories were all of the school’s first milestones, such as the first play and the first sporting events. I also loved creating traditions that are still embedded in the school today and developing the proud Pioneer culture,” Meyer said.
As well as having a lasting effect on the school’s culture, Meyer has created many lasting friendships and partnerships with teachers, even before he arrived in the district.
English Teacher Alicia Edwards was Meyer’s first hire back when he was the principal at Westerville Central, a year before the school opened.
“It was fun that he got to know all of the staff at Orange very well. We’re like the founding fathers of Orange, so I feel like the people who opened the school really know him to be quite dynamic and fun,” Edwards said.
20,000 students, and thousands of teachers and staff members in the ever growing Olentangy District.
“There are challenges inherent in the superintendent job no matter where you are, but in a district the size of Olentangy, these are legion,” Olentangy Board Vice President Kevin Lester said.
Many of these challenges include working with the school board to develop strategy, building a strong and coherent culture for both employees and students, extending services out to students, handling the growth of the district and so many more, according to Lester.
“Superintendent is an incredibly hard job. It is the superintendent’s duty to manage all of the multitude of things that impact our schools every day and to ensure that we have outstanding people and processes in place to provide the best possible education for our students and support for our staff, while also enriching the community,” Lester said.
But, as proven in his many years of experience, Meyer has all the skills, traits and abilities that this job calls for.
“With over 16 years in Olentangy, he understands our culture and values intrinsically, but it’s one thing to understand these things and quite another to bring them to life each day. He anchors to that deep foundation of care and compassion for everyone in the district in every action he takes and draws on the lessons learned in facing and overcoming adversity in his own life, to create a supportive, welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone,” Lester said.
While Meyer’s job may require a lot of time at the office and on the job, he still makes time to do the things he loves, with the people he loves.
“My wife, Gina, and I have been married for 26 years and live in Powell. We have a goldendoodle named Milo, and I am an active pickleball player, reader and an Ohio State football enthusiast,” Meyer said.
Meyer and his wife have also had three kids go through the Olentangy District, with all of them previously attending Liberty High School. His oldest Alexia graduated in 2016, his next child Gabe graduated in 2018 and his most recent child Isabella graduated just this year, according to Meyer.
It’s also very integral for Meyer that he creates and uses specific strategies to balance out the busy lives that he lives.
Meyer refers to the balance of the two as his “work-life” integration. “Some strategies that work for me are, first, to be an early riser. Starting work first thing in the morning helps me stay organized. Second, I am efficient in my communication by speaking with people directly, and not waiting on emails to be answered. Last, I give 100 percent to whatever I am doing, whether it be at work or when I was cheering on my daughter playing on the state runner-up Liberty High School lacrosse team last spring,” Meyer said.
With the start of the new school year, and Meyer’s first full school year as superintendent, he is fully committed to continuing the growth of not just students, but all parents, and staff members in the district.
“This district is a special place because of the staff that care about our students, and the parents and community members that prioritize education and high-performing schools. I plan to build on the strong foundation as the recognized leader for high performance and efficiency in education and amplify our reputation as a destination district for both staff and students with their families,” Meyer said.
