Elyria Superintendent Ann Schloss to retire

ELYRIA — After eight years at the helm of Elyria Schools and more than three decades working in the district, Superintendent Ann Schloss announced that she will retire at the end of 2026. The emotional announcement came during a Board of Education meeting on Wednesday, when Schloss said she would remain with the district until the winter break of the coming school year, with her official retirement date set to be Jan. 1. Schloss became emotional as soon as she started reading her statement announcing the decision. She asked Treasurer Colleen Aholt to read her statement, and Aholt obliged. "I have given my heart and soul to this district, I love this place so much. It is like I am leaving a family," Schloss said before the meeting on Wednesday. "I cannot say enough good things about the people of Elyria and the people I work with. It is just such a fantastic place to grow up. … But, at the end of the day, everything has to come to an end and I am ready for the next journey of my life." At the end of the meeting, Schloss was brought to tears as she received a standing ovation from the board and all those in attendance. Schloss said that she had been considering retirement for at least a year, but had decided to stay through 2025 and 2026 as the district sought tax levy increases and, when those failed, was forced to approve $9 million in budget cuts in February. "With everything that was going on, I wanted to make sure that I was here to help the district through it all," she said. Prior to being named superintendent in 2019, Schloss had already spent more than 25 years with Elyria Schools, starting as a teacher before becoming a principal, academic services director and associate superintendent before being hired to lead the district. Schloss led the district through the COVID-19 pandemic and as associated superintendent, played a role to her predecessor Tom Jama in his efforts to construct new K-8 school buildings throughout the district. "For over 34 years, Ann has committed herself to our students and community with dedication, compassion and vision," Elyria Board of Education President Elaine Seguin said in a release. "Her years of leadership and service will leave behind a strong foundation and enduring legacy that will continue to benefit generations of students." Schloss said that her biggest considerations in deciding to retire were a desire to travel more and also to move back to her home state of Wisconsin to be closer to her mother. "After talking it over with my family, I decided it is time to try some new things, because this job takes a lot," Schloss said. "... I love going to events and activities with the kids, being a part of plays and seeing everything, but that all takes time. I have things that I would like to see and do, I'd like to travel, I think that is what you are supposed to do in retirement, right? I have been toying around with this for a while and I don't think there is ever going to be a good time, but for me, this is the right time." The board will begin the process of searching for a new superintendent to take over the district in 2027, and Schloss said she would do whatever the district needed to assist with that search and eventually to ease the transition to her successor. A release from the district said that the board will begin considering transition options "in the coming months." Schloss said that she would be happy to offer advice or assistance to her replacement even after her departure, and offered a few words of guidance on Wednesday. "You have to be all in, you have to know that this is what you want to do," Schloss said. "The biggest thing I would say is just listen, laugh and love, those are things I have always lived by. You have to listen to your people and know that there is always a way to figure it out, you know? Public education in Ohio is tough right now, it really is, but if you keep the children at the center of every decision you make, you can never go wrong." Contact Owen MacMillan at (440) 329-7123 or omacmillan@chroniclet.com.