OLMSTED FALLS CITY SCHOOLS NAMES NEW DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS EFFECTIVE WITH 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR
Current Transportation Supervisor Heath Krakowiak to Succeed Long-Time Bulldog Tim Atkinson
Heath Krakowiak Tim Atkinson
Olmsted Falls, OH (Thursday, April 15, 2021) – The Olmsted Falls Board of Education at its regular monthly meeting for April approved the Superintendent’s recommendation to employ current Olmsted Falls City Schools Transportation Supervisor Heath Krakowiak in the administrative position of Director of Business effective with the new 2021-2022 school year. Mr. Krakowiak will succeed long-time Bulldog administrator and community resident Tim Atkinson, who will be retiring at the end of the current school year following 43 years of dedicated service to the district.
“Mr. Krakowiak is an OFHS alum and has been a member of our Bulldog school staff for more than 20 years. He’s demonstrated an exceptional work ethic and commitment to the school district,” said Olmsted Falls City Schools Superintendent Dr. Jim Lloyd. “His knowledge of our organizational culture, experience with various capacities of district operations and time spent working closely with Mr. Atkinson over the past decade will bring great continuity to this important position. While Heath will have big shoes to fill, I know that he will approach this position with the same care, kindness and consideration that Mr. Atkinson has done. Heath has a track record of demonstrating all of the skills necessary to be a successful Director of Business for Olmsted Falls City Schools.”
Mr. Krakowiak started with Olmsted Falls City Schools as a summer worker immediately after graduating high school in 1998, and continued to work summers and breaks during his college years at Ohio University. He was hired by the district under a full time contract in 2004, and worked with the buildings and grounds department for several years before transitioning into the Transportation Supervisor position in July 2011. For the past decade, in his position as Transportation Supervisor, Mr. Krakowiak has worked side-by-side under the direction and mentorship of Mr. Atkinson, who oversees the district’s transportation department, buildings and grounds, and other district operations.
"I'm thrilled for the opportunity to continue serving this district that I care about so deeply in this new capacity,” said Mr. Krakowiak. “I look forward to the road ahead, and will continue to represent the Bulldog Way in all that I do for our students, staff, and district."
“I am very happy to have Heath assume his new role in August,” said retiring Director of Business Affairs Tim Atkinson. “He is an exceptional individual and will do an outstanding job of supporting our classified staff and effectively managing the maintenance of our physical District assets.”
“It has been an honor and privilege to serve our community and its schools,” added Mr. Atkinson. “My three children benefited immensely from the high quality education that was provided by this staff and my wife, Elaine, likewise, had a very successful teaching career in Olmsted Falls until her retirement in 2018. Elaine and I will continue to happily reside in Olmsted Falls and of course, travel whenever possible. I am also very excited to know that I will remain connected to our schools via our grandchildren. I give thanks to all for the support, patience and kindness that has been shown to me through the years. GO BULLDOGS!”
Mr. Atkinson is completing his 43rd year of service for the Olmsted Falls City Schools where he has served in various capacities including driver, transportation supervisor and Director of Business Affairs. His first two years of service were actually working for his brother in transportation services when it was a separate entity from the school district. He was officially hired by Olmsted Falls City Schools in 1980.
“Mr. Atkinson epitomizes what it means to be a Bulldog and has been a role model and mentor to Mr. Krakowiak, and many Bulldog staff members for more than four decades,” added Dr. Lloyd. “Mr. Atkinson’s family has been part of the Olmsted Falls School District for 97 years in some way, shape or form. Tim has added to that legacy. He has set the tone and laid a strong foundation for our district’s continuing operational excellence and it is a special testament to our school community to be able to promote someone from within our own Bulldog ranks to fill Tim’s shoes.”
Mr. Krakowiak will officially begin in his new position on August 1, 2021 and will be spending dedicated time between now and then in a collaborative transition period with Mr. Atkinson. Naming Mr. Krakowiak to the position now also provides the opportunity for him to be part of the search and hiring process for his own replacement in the Transportation Supervisor position that he will be vacating in the upcoming school year and will oversee in the future.
Mr. Krakowiak is an alumnus of Olmsted Falls High School and resides in the community with his wife Mariel, an OFCS art teacher, and their two children.
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