Oakwood names Bletzinger as principal

BY KIM LUTTRELL

OAKWOOD July 10, 2008 08:56 am

— The principal of South View Middle School in Danville has been named the new principal at Oakwood Junior High at a special meeting of the Oakwood School Board on Wednesday night.
Jason Bletzinger has been in the District 118 school system for the past five years in various administrative roles.
He had served as principal at South View since August 2006. He also served as assistant principal at South View and as principal at Meade Park Elementary School in Danville.
Before coming to Vermilion County, Bletzinger was assistant principal at Cary Junior High School in Cary and served an administrative internship at Franklin Middle School in Champaign.
“We were impressed with the overall quality of the applicants who expressed interest in our position,” said Keven Forney, superintendent of Oakwood schools.
“Mr. Bletzinger rose to the top in a very competitive field of candidates. His record of accomplishments in a variety of administrative positions spoke loudly to the staff members who sat in on the interview panel.”
Greg Wolfe, school board president, said “I am excited about the new principals we have at both the grade school and the junior high. I see great things happening this fall with the new leadership in these two schools.”
Bletzinger graduated from Illinois State University in Normal with a bachelor’s degree in specialized educational development. He obtained his educational master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.
He also obtained his educational specialist degree in education administration and his Illinois superintendent certificate from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.
At Oakwood Junior High, Bletzinger will oversee the seventh and eighth grades with approximately 194 students and 15 staff members.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Oakwood School Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. July 23 in the grade school conference room.