Colvin picked to replace retiring Raach at career center
Matt Colvin
When Matt Colvin started at Ridgewood High School, he wanted to give kids hope. Six years later he now has the opportunity to do that for students from all over the county, thanks to his new position as superintendent of the Coshocton County Career Center.
“I’ve had my superintendent license for 11 years now,” Colvin said. “It’s always been something I wanted to do, but not right away. I wanted to get my feet wet. I’ve been blessed with great experiences as associate principal at River View High School, principal at Keene Elementary, and for the last six years at Ridgewood as assistant principal and athletic director. Now was the right time for me and my family. My daughter just graduated and is going to college, so this freed up some time in the evening for her volleyball games and for me to watch my sons’ sporting events. I can just be dad and not worry about other things.”
The career center intrigued Colvin because of its ability to impact students from all three county school districts, surrounding areas and the community.
“When these kids leave the career center, they are prepared for jobs in our county that can help make it thriving like it once was,” Colvin said.
Colvin presented a three-phase plan to the career center’s board of education with the first step being about evaluating and listening.
“I want to go in and listen and talk to the staff, Mr. Dovenbarger, the secretaries, the counsellor, the maintenance people, the students, just everyone,” Colvin said. “I want to find out what we do well and what maybe needs improved. I’d like to make plans to possibly implement new courses or bring back adult education, but career-tech funding has been frozen since 2019. At that time we had 230 students, and this year we are looking at enrolling 320. That’s an increase of 90 students but with the same amount of funding when we had a lesser number of students. Until we get that rectified at the state level, there is not much we can do. I’m a visionary, though, so I want to look at what we can add. I’m never happy with the status quo. Mr. Raach and the staff have been doing a great job, and we can expand on what they are already doing to prepare students.”
Colvin, a 1997 graduate of Ridgewood High School, is replacing retiring Rich Raach at the career center. He was one of 11 applicants for the job.
“We cut that down to three to interview,” Coshocton County Career Center Board President Tad Johnson said. “After doing the interviews, (Colvin) was unanimously selected by the board. He was the most outstanding candidate from those we interviewed because of his enthusiasm and desire to look down the road.”
Colvin, however, will have big shoes to fill.
“When Rick started here seven years ago, we had 188 students,” Johnson said. “Now we are up to around 300. The place just continues to grow. Students that come here for their junior and senior year can earn an associate degree because of our course selection, and that’s at no expense to them or their family. Plus, they earn their other credentials. We are placing kids in all kinds of fields out there in the community, and these are not minimum-wage jobs. They are high-paying jobs. Sometimes I think we are the best-kept secret in Coshocton.”
Johnson said Colvin will do a great job of continuing to move the career center forward.
“He’s a real people person,” Johnson said. “He’s excited for this new path in his career, to work with our administrators and staff and continue the career center tradition.”
Category: Education
