Samuel Bogdanove has served in district 23 years, including last three in lead role
By Holly Dillemuth, Ashland.news
Samuel Bogdanove announced Friday he plans to retire next June after three years as Ashland School District superintendent.
Bogdanove said it’s been a really rich experience to have lived, worked, and raised his kids, both Ashland High School graduates (2012 and 2017) in the same place. His retirement will be official in June 2024 and a search for a new superintendent is currently underway.
“To have that level of connection is really special,” Bogdanove told Ashland.news in an interview near the Ashland High mural.
“It’s hard to say goodbye and think about that because there’s so many wonderful people and so many wonderful relationships,” Bogdanove said via phone earlier on Friday.
In a message sent out via newsletter, he said:“We have much to do between now and June and my focus is on the year ahead.”
Bogdanove started as superintendent in July 2020 and helped the district navigate the pandemic, Almeda Fire, and after effects and resurgences of COVID-19 among staff and students.
“It’s been tremendously (challenging). We’ve seen huge impacts on kids in terms of academics and mental health and family dynamics,” Bogdanove said. “And staff have experienced that in their own families.”
Bogdanove is proud of gains the district has made following what he described as “unfinished learning” during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
“We’ve put a lot of effort into mental health services and counseling at schools, just a tremendous amount of effort teaching basic skills. We’ve been able to see double-digit and in some cases, and particularly from some of our most impacted students, triple-digit improvement in reading and math in grades K-8, since coming back from the pandemic.”
Bogdanove is excited about a new partnership with the Ashland YMCA starting this school year that will provide classroom space for a preschool operated by the YMCA at Walker and Helman elementary schools.
“They’re fully operated by the Y but they’re able to be housed by our elementary programs,” Bogdanove said. “My hope in the coming years is we’re able to expand preschool partnerships. It really makes a different experience for our kids and a huge impact on families.”
The Ashland YMCA will also continue after school programs for students at Bellview, Helman, and Walker elementary schools, Bogdanove said.
Bogdanove also shared his excitement about projected enrollment for the 2023-2024 school year which, as of Friday, is anticipated to be up by at least 44 students or 1.7%. Final numbers will be released in October.
While there are difficulties that can go along with the superintendent role, he emphasized that supporting students is what he’s enjoyed the most.
“On the days that are challenging, if you can get out into a classroom and see kids, that makes it all worth it,” Bogdanove added.
Bogdanove started his educational journey teaching English as a Second Language in Japan in 1988. After two years teaching overseas, he worked with students in the U.S. with special needs for a number of years.
He worked in education in New Mexico before coming to Ashland in 2001.
He served as interim principal at Ashland High in the 2019-2020 school year prior to serving as superintendent in 2020.
Asked what he hopes his time as superintendent is known for, Bogdanove emphasized focusing on how to serve all kids well and to meet all kids where they are at.
“That’s really an instructional piece, that’s a relational piece, that’s a mental health piece, and it’s an equity piece,” Bogdanove said. “Our efforts there are really critical. I’m also proud of how the district as a whole went through and responded to kids throughout the pandemic, and how they took care of each other; an incredibly supportive staff and an unprecedented experience of my lifetime.”
Reach Ashland.news reporter Holly Dillemuth at hollyd@ashland.news.
