Former Centerburg superintendent Mike Hebenthal is beginning a new role in Knox County. Hebenthal will work with the Knox Educational Service Center as a school improvement specialist.Knox Educational Service Center
A veteran educator is partnering with the Knox Educational Service Center to support principals and teachers throughout Knox County.
Mike Hebenthal, former superintendent of Centerburg Local Schools, will work with the ESC as a school improvement specialist during the 2025-26 school year. Most recently he served three years on the Ohio Department of Education’s Mansfield-based District 7 State Support Team, which serves educators in 10 counties.
“My goal is to meet with every principal – elementary, middle school, high school – at least once a month to offer help any way I can, whether it be teacher training, developing student achievement strategies or updates on changing state requirements and legal issues affecting education,” Hebenthal said.
“Principals are doing a great job but they can be overwhelmed by all that they must deal with every day. I know because I’ve been there. My approach will be: What can I take off their desks?”
Knox ESC Superintendent Dr. Timm Mackley explained the rationale for Hebenthal’s hiring.
“Our board agreed that school improvement is a core value of the Knox ESC,” Mackley said. “In offering this service to our local districts they recognized that Mike is uniquely qualified. He has a wealth of experience as a classroom teacher, principal and superintendent and has a working knowledge of state and federal issues involving education.”
Hebenthal received his undergraduate degree from Youngstown State University and his master’s from Ashland University. He was a high school chemistry and physics teacher for 11 years before his 20-year tenure at Centerburg as middle and high school principal and superintendent.
He is a retired United States Air Force active duty and reserve logistics officer whose 27 years of service included tours of duty in Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia.
Hebenthal said he will initiate contact with all county principals via email after Labor Day.
“This is what I did on the state support team: Meet with principals to ask, ‘How can I help you?’ I will get in and get out. There are many demands on a principal’s time,” Hebenthal said.
“I don’t know all the answers, but I can find them. I want to provide all possible assistance to our districts on their schedules. If a principal wants to arrange training for teachers at 6:30 in the morning, I’ll be there.”
