Solon School Board Appoints New Principals

The appointed two principals Monday in preparation for the upcoming school year.

Cari Mineard will be the new principal at and Mike Acomb will move over and principal at .

The administrative moves come after the school board .

Mineard has spent her entire career in Solon, serving last year as an interim assistant principal at Orchard, and before that as a guidance counselor and a teacher. Acomb was the principal at Orchard since 2005, and has also been an assistant principal and a teacher.

“We took a hard look at the needs of all the buildings in the district and how the current administrators matched up to those needs," said Superintendent Joe Regano. "Both Mike Acomb and Cari Mineard are curriculum experts and have been leaders in our district in implementing research-based educational practices that have direct and positive results on student achievement.

About Acomb, Regano said: "Mike is a well-respected and seasoned principal in the district and we believe he is a great fit to lead the Lewis school community."

About Mineard, he said: "She has already built a strong rapport with the Orchard teaching staff, as well as the parents and students. The leadership transition at both schools should be very smooth and the academic excellence at Lewis and Orchard will continue uninterrupted.”

Acomb said in a statement:

I am thrilled to be the new Lewis principal. My career in Solon started as an elementary teacher at Roxbury, so I am looking forward to returning to the K-4 environment and getting to know the Lewis students and their families. Building partnerships with parents is something that I value highly and I am eagerly anticipating beginning those new relationships at Lewis. I also am anxious to begin working with the exceptional staff at the school. Together, I believe there is great opportunity to improve upon the already high-performing school culture at Lewis.

Mineard said:

I am delighted and honored to become a permanent member of the Orchard team. During my time at Orchard this year, I have had the opportunity to work with the highly skilled and hard-working Orchard staff members and talented students. I am excited and looking forward to the new school year and continuing to build relationships with the students, parents and staff.

As the start of school approaches, school officials say information about meet-and-greet events at Lewis and Orchard will be shared with families so students and parents can begin getting to know the new principals.

What do you think about the choices for new principals? Tell us in the comments!