Huron native accepts principal job

HURON — A Huron native will lead one of Ohio's largest high schools later this year near Columbus. Chagrin Falls High School principal Monica Asher, the school's leader since 2017, was chosen to become Olentangy Orange High School's principal on Aug. 1. Olentangy Schools board members unanimously agreed to hire her. "I am excited and proud to become a member of the Pioneer family," Asher told the Columbus Dispatch. "I was drawn to Orange High School not only because of its academic reputation but also its strong sense of community. I have been nothing short of impressed and my experiences throughout the interview process further confirm that Olentangy is an incredibly special place." As of the 2020-21 school year, 1,951 students were enrolled at Olentangy Orange High School, according to Ohio Department of Education data. When she begins her job in August, Asher's contract stipulates that she'll make $130,000 annually, according to the Dispatch. It's unclear how long her initial contract lasts. Earlier this year, Asher was named the 2022-23 Ohio Principal of the Year by the Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators. She beat out a large field of nominees for the award and will accept the award this fall at the organization's conference in Columbus. "It's pretty exciting and very humbling, and obviously I have a lot of pride, especially to represent Chagrin and our staff and kids here," Asher told cleveland.com in March. "Any success I have, quite honestly, is a direct result of the incredible work of the teachers here. I have been really fortunate to step into a building to work with teachers who are kind, creative, innovative and fearless. "They are willing to try anything, and they put students at the center of all their decisions," Asher said. "They're incredible, so it's hard to say there's anything I did in particular." Before landing her Chagrin Falls job, Asher was an assistant principal at Avon Lake and Rocky River high schools. In her hometown of Huron, she was an English teacher and athletic director at Huron High School. Before that, she worked at Sig Rogich Middle School in Las Vegas, Nevada. Asher has been working to earn a doctorate in educational leadership from Bowling Green State University. She also graduated with bachelor's and master's degrees from the university. For 10 years, Asher has been a member of the Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators since 2012. During this time, she's served as the diversity at-large director, chaired the organization's women's committee, and has spoken at numerous conferences. Additionally, Asher has served on the Ohio Educator Standards Board for several years.