Orange school board accepts Renee Tuttle’s retirement as elementary school principal - cleveland.com

PEPPER PIKE, Ohio -- Renee Tuttle, in her 10th year as principal of Moreland Hills Elementary School, will retire effective Jan. 31 -- ending a career of almost 35 years in education.

On Monday (Nov. 28), the Orange Board of Education accepted Tuttle’s retirement, then congratulated her.

“It’s always quite comforting seeing the same people out there when they come to board meetings, and you’ve been a part of my life for nine years now,” board Vice President Jeffrey Leikin, the board’s longest-serving member, told Tuttle.

“I know you’ve got some things to take care of immediately, but I hope all your hopes and dreams for your retirement come true and everything you want to do, you’re able to do.

“I wish you nothing but the best, Renee,” he continued. “It’s been a pleasure knowing you, and I almost feel like I’m saying goodbye to a friend.”

After the meeting, Tuttle said she’s “loved every minute of every day” working at Moreland Hills Elementary School.

“I’m very honored to be principal at Moreland Hills,” she said. “It just has been my privilege to be (there).

“What an amazing community we have here, with wonderful families and an amazing staff.”

Tuttle, in her 17th year as a public school administrator, said she has no definite plans for her retirement at this time.

Superintendent Lynn Campbell said Tuttle will be available to the district in “a consultant capacity” starting in April to help it wrap up the current school year at the elementary school and plan for a transition to a new principal in 2023-24.

According to the rules of the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS), if one is employed by a public employer in Ohio at the time of retirement, one must wait two months after the retirement date to return to public employment.

“I will be working ahead on how we’re going to move forward after Jan. 31,” Campbell said. “That will include some support from Renee after she meets her requirement with STRS through the months of February and March. … The administration thanks her for her willingness to see us through.

“So I’m excited for what lies ahead for Moreland Hills (School), and I’ll be communicating not just with (the school board), but also with the staff and the community as we move forward in re-forming the team.”

Tuttle came to Orange Schools in 2013 after serving two years as an elementary school principal with Cuyahoga Heights Schools.

Prior to that, she worked as an elementary school principal with Cuyahoga Falls Schools for three years and was an elementary principal with Marietta City Schools for two years before that.

Tuttle spent her entire 16-year career as a public school teacher at Green Valley Elementary School in the Parma City School District, where she taught kindergarten, first, second and fourth grades.

She began her career in education as a kindergarten teacher at Children’s Village, a private school in Kent, where she served for two years.

COVID-19 booster clinic possible

Also on Monday, Campbell said he has been in communication with Rite Aid pharmacy for a possible COVID-19 vaccination booster clinic on the Orange Schools campus for students ages 5-11.

“We had a very successful vaccination booster clinic not long ago for our older student population, and right on the heels of that, the bivalent (updated COVID-19) booster became available for ages 5-11.

“So I’ll be putting the feelers out again for that age group to gauge interest for another clinic on campus for the younger students. Hopefully, it will go just as well.”

The district hosted a COVID-19 vaccination clinic, also in conjunction with Rite Aid pharmacy, for students 12 and older Oct. 22 at Orange High School.

“As long as the interest is there, I’d like to have this clinic come to campus and be behind us before the holiday season, so those who want to have an easy, convenient place to come can get boosted,” Campbell said.

“There’s also the potential of having the flu shot be offered in conjunction (with the booster) as an option, as well, and I think that may be popular, considering that we’re hearing the current flu season is spiking early.”

Students were also offered the opportunity to receive a flu shot at the clinic in October.

In response to a question from a board member, Campbell said he was not aware of any other districts in the area offering clinics of this type on school campuses.

“Any other district that is willing to reach out, I can say the pharmacists from Rite Aid have been phenomenal,” he said.

“Rite Aid has been the most consistent (among local pharmacies) with following up with the district and communicating with me, and they’ve made it really convenient and easy for us to have (these clinics) on campus. The pharmacies want to get these vaccines out.”

According to the district’s COVID-19 dashboard, updated Monday (Nov. 28), it has no active student or staff cases and no students or staff in quarantine.

The board’s next meeting will be at 6 p.m. Dec. 12.

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Orange school board accepts Renee Tuttle’s retirement as elementary school principal - cleveland.com
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