CRESTLINE — After 30 years with the district Crestline Elementary principal Julie Murphy-Theodore has decided to move in a different direction with her career.
With just a few years remaining before retirement, Murphy-Theodore said she is looking for another adventure before calling it a career.
“Possibly going back into the classroom, possibly trying some admin things I haven’t done yet. There’s a lot out there,” she said. “I have been (at Crestline) my entire career. I love it here and I love the school and staff, but I would like to try something new for the last part of my last few years.”
Murphy-Theodore said though the school closures caused by COVID-19 have had a negative impact on schools, the creative ways found to educate students during the pandemic have shown her there are other avenues of education she may choose to enter.
“I may try something that is different than traditional school,” she said. “I have several years left and I would like to try something different.”
During her time at Crestline, Murphy-Theodore has had several positions including teaching K-12 music, the choir and show choir director, multiple elementary and junior high subjects, and curriculum director before becoming elementary principal.
Murphy-Theodore said being at a single district for so long, she has seen multiple generations come through the school.
“The most exciting thing is seeing my former students being parents. It’s the most rewarding thing I’ve been able to do,” Murphy-Theodore said. “Seeing them struggle and then be successful, and seeing those parents coming to events and saying, ‘Mrs. Murphy, do you remember when….’ Then seeing their child being successful and seeing their pride in their child, it just brings a lot of joy to me to know I was even a little part of that.”
Murphy-Theodore said an academic achievement the district made during her tenure was the creation of the Bulldog Academy, an online credit-recovery program, which she taught for a few years. She said she was able to see students who dropped out of school come back later and graduate, which she called a rewarding experience.
Crestline Exempted Village Schools Superintendent Matt Henderson said Murphy-Theodore has been a valuable member of the Crestline Exempted Village Schools for the past thirty years.
“I have had the extreme pleasure of working with Mrs. Murphy-Theodore this past year in my role as Superintendent. Mrs. Murphy-Theodore has proven her dedication and professionalism as being exemplary,” Henderson said. “The time she invests into students, academic data, teacher preparation, professional development and in the facilitation and implementation of our district’s Ohio Improvement Process has been an asset to the operation of the district.
“As a professional, I support Julie in her career pursuits, but as a member of the Crestline Exempted Village School District Administrative team, I will truly miss her support, professionalism, innovative spirit and collegiality.”
She said she will always love and appreciate the Crestline community no matter where her career takes her.
“I love this community. My kids went here, and even open enrolled to go here for part of the time,” she said. “I will always appreciate the opportunity that our school system gave me to grow as an educator. I just want to see Crestline continue to grow and get better.”