Edison assistant principal earns regional honor

Edison High School Assistant Principal Josh Leasure has been named Zone 8 High School Assistant Principal of the Year by the Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators.

Leasure, who has served at Edison for the past 10 years, was nominated for the honor. Nominations generally are submitted by students, staff members, administrators and colleagues.

The OASSA Board of Directors, under the leadership of its 10 zone directors, received nominations this spring and named middle school and high school principal and assistant principal honorees for each area. Leasure is now a finalist at the state level, with the OASSA board set to select four overall recipients to represent Ohio later this year.

All zone winners will be recognized at the OASSA Fall Conference in Columbus in October.

“Awards like this are humbling, but they really aren’t about one person,” Leasure said. “Edison High School is great because of the administrators, teachers, staff, and students who do their jobs every day and care about each other. Any recognition I receive is really a reflection of the people around me and the culture we’ve built together.”

A Steubenville native, Leasure earned his bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Mount Union University and a master’s degree in education from Franciscan University. He taught social studies for five years and special education for two years at Buckeye Local, Harrison and Edison high schools.

Along with Principal Matt Morrison, Leasure helps oversee roughly 600 students in grades seven through 12.

Morrison said Leasure’s recognition is well-deserved.

“He has been doing a wonderful job for years,” Morrison said. “He has developed a great relationship with the students and staff, and he’s dependable, loyal, and loves to laugh. He does an outstanding job, and the Edison Local School District is very fortunate to have him.”

Superintendent Bill Beattie agreed.

“We’re glad to have him at Edison Local Schools,” Beattie said. “He’s done a fantastic job of having a relationship with the students over the years, which has made his and the staff’s job easier based on the trust he’s had with the kids.”

OASSA is a professional organization that supports high school principals, assistant principals and other school administrators in Ohio. Its mission includes advocacy, professional development, legislative influence, public relations, curricular initiatives and collaboration with related organizations.

Zone 8 includes Jefferson, Harrison, Belmont, Carroll, Tuscarawas, Stark, Wayne, Holmes and Coshocton counties.