ThisWeek Community Newspapers

Thursday, March 18, 2004

INA HORWITZ-WHITMORE
ThisWeek Staff Writer

Todd Adam Decker, highly praised by the district's administration when he became the first full-time K-12 theatre-arts director almost two years ago, is resigning his position, effective at the end of this school year.

Approximately 75 drama students and parents were at the Bexley Board of Education meeting Monday night to support Decker after learning the board didn't intend to renew Decker's contract for the next school year.

When asked why Decker wasn't given a new contract, Superintendent Mike Johnson said it was a personnel issue and that there were "some concerns." Decker couldn't be reached for comment.

Students and parents were given a 40-minute period, and at least 20 people spoke -- many passionately -- in Decker's support. A number of speakers appeared to hold back tears, and a few students openly wept as they spoke to the board.

After public comments, the board met for at least an hour in executive session.

Following that, the board came back in regular session, at which time Board President Susan Zanner read a one-sentence statement from Decker that "effective the end of the 2003-2004 school year," he was resigning as theatre-arts teacher and director.

Johnson had recommended against renewing Decker's contract for 2004-05. In speaking to the large crowd before the comments got under way, Zanner said, "We do hire administrators and a superintendent to evaluate. We take these recommendations seriously."

She also said the board appreciated remarks from the community.

"Whatever happens in this case, our resolve to support the Bexley theatre program and a theatre director is unwavering," she said.

The overall themes heard from speakers who asked the board to retain Decker included praise for the quality of his productions and the program, his encouragement to his students, his mentoring and teaching abilities and a renewed enthusiasm for theatre arts in the Bexley schools.

Parent Joe Winner, whose son, Will, is a participant in the theatre-arts department, said in the 18 years that he has had children in the district, there had never been an issue he felt more strongly about.

"Something really good has happened in the theatre-arts department" (under Decker's direction), Winner said.

"Mr. Decker has ignited a fire in students," Will Winner said. "He has created truly professional shows. For several of us, theatre is the primary focus in our lives."

BHS senior Adam Horton told the board, "This is the best year of my life because of Mr. Decker. He has revolutionized the theatre program at Bexley. If you take away Mr. Decker, you are taking away the best part of the theatre program."

Decker, who is in his mid-30s, came to Bexley after spending nine years as theatre-arts director at Fort Hayes Arts and Academic High School in Columbus. He had taught and directed for seven summers at Interlocken World Center for Arts Education.

When he accepted the position, the school district had just renovated the Cassingham Theatre in the Cassingham Complex and undertaking a large renovation of the high school auditorium, which is now called "The Jay and Jeanne Schottenstein Theatre."

When Decker arrived, the fine-arts program had just received a $2.1-million influx of private funds from the Bexley Education Foundation.

In addition to teaching theatre to high school students, Decker headed workshops and acting troupes at different grade levels, putting on a number of productions throughout the school year.

Productions included Dracula, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat and I Never Saw Another Butterfly.

Last summer, Decker took a high school acting troupe to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland to perform the musical, Once On This Island.