STEWART, Ohio — Former Federal Hocking Local Schools Superintendent George “Doc” Wood is returning to the position temporarily for the 2025-’26 school year.
The board of education approved Wood’s interim hiring at a special meeting July 31. According to district Treasurer Bruce Steenrod, the board will not approve Wood’s contract until its next regular meeting, Aug. 19.
Wood has lived in the district for over 40 years, he said. He worked for the district for 28 years overall as both high school principal and superintendent.
“I think it’s a great district,” Wood said. “My kids went to school there. My wife taught there. We love this place, and it’s my goal just to have a calm year and run the district so the board can spend their time and focus on the big job they have, which is finding a permanent superintendent.”
Wood may leave the position if a permanent superintendent is found before his contract is up. He will not seek the position beyond his temporary contract, he said.
Wood described the superintendent role as the district’s “chief educational leader.” The superintendent “evaluates all the principals … works closely with the treasurer to manage the budget, works with the board to adopt appropriate policies and keep the board informed,” he said.
Most importantly, Wood said he believes “the most important thing a school superintendent can do is set the tone in the district, and it’ll be my goal to [set a tone of] unanxious expectations.”
Wood is catching up to speed on the district’s finances, he said, which are currently under review after the passage of the 2026–27 state budget.
Ohio’s school funding formula is based partially on the number of students enrolled in a particular school, minus those who attend a career center or receive special education services. That formula can be a problem for districts like FedHock that are facing declining enrollment.
According to the district’s most recent five-year financial forecast, compiled this past May, expenditures will outpace revenue by around $1.5 million by 2029.
“It’s my goal to be very, very transparent with the community and the staff about the financial situation,” Wood said. “We have a new state budget. It didn’t do small and rural districts any favors at all … [It is] going to be challenging for rural districts.”
“I’m just looking forward to a great year of what I am going to call peaceful progress,” Wood said. “It was a challenging last year and a half or so.”
Wood’s return caps a tumultuous year for the district that saw staff positions cut and public criticism of the actions of controversial former superintendent Jason Spencer, including the firing of high school principal Jake Amlin..
The board hired Spencer in July 2024. He resigned in June after signing a separation agreement that included a $70,000 lump-sum payment. Lindy Douglas, superintendent of the Athens-Meigs Educational Service Center, served as the interim superintendent after Spencer’s departure. Douglas is currently acting as interim superintendent of Trimble Local School District.
“We’re happy to have him back and looking forward to a great year,” Board of Education President Kerry Sheridan-Boyd said. “He’ll do a great job, and he’ll be interim superintendent for the year, or until needed.”
“What kind of qualities the board is looking for in the next superintendent, I don’t know — that will be up to whoever makes it on the board for the next term,” Sheridan-Boyd said.
Perhaps a new board will hire the next superintendent: Three of five board members’ terms expire Dec. 31, including Sheridan-Boyd’s. The other two seats expire in 2027. Terms last for four years.
The Federal Hocking Local Schools Board of Education meets at 6 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month. Its next regular meeting will be held Aug. 19 in the library at Federal Hocking High School, 8461 SR 144, Stewart.
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