Former AD back on the job

Once again, Jay County has turned to a familiar face.
The Jay School Board voted unanimously Monday to approve Bob Lutton, who served as the Jay County High School assistant principal/athletics director from 1993 to 1995, to take the post again. He has been the middle/high school assistant principal at Wes-Del for the last 14 years.
He was approved as part of the board’s consent agenda, which included several personnel items, extra-curricular assignments and bus requests.
“When (the job) opened, it was a job that I felt like I was familiar with,” said Lutton, who has spent his entire 33-year career in education in Jay County and Wes-Del. “I know (principal) Phil (Ford), I know the community, it’s a great fit, I think, for me.
“I’ve known the Jay Schools system for a long time and been a part of it. It’s a good place to be.”
He takes over for Ted Habegger, who spent two years as athletics director before announcing his retirement in May.
Lutton, who graduated from Wes-Del in 1973 and Ball State University in 1977, taught social studies for 12 years at Wes-Del before becoming the principal at West Jay Middle School.
He then served as the JCHS athletics director for two years before returning to Wes-Del as the assistant principal. He retired from that post at the conclusion of the 2009-10 school year.
“I enjoyed it a lot, but I had young kids,” said Lutton of his first stint as the JCHS AD.
“This job, it’s brutal with kids. … At that time I thought it was better to go to another part of administration.”
In addition to his administrative experience, Lutton has coached varsity golf and cross country at Wes-Del.
Lutton has coached a variety of other sports at the middle school level, and also served eight years on the Dunkirk City Council.
“I know what his work ethic is,” said Ford, who worked with Lutton as an administrator at both JCHS and Wes-Del. “I trust him. … He’s great with people. He’s a hands-on kind of guy. …
“I think his combination of experience, proven administrative skills and the level of trust … probably set him apart. He is the complete package for Jay County High School as an athletics director and assistant principal.”
He was selected from a pool of more than 40 applicants, of which five were interviewed by a selection committee that included Ford, two school board members and two JCHS coaches.
All of those who were interviewed hold an administrative license.
“It was an excellent process,” said board member Mike Shannon during Monday’s meeting. “It was a tough decision, but I think we’ve got the best of the best. We’re excited to have (him).”
“I was pleasantly surprised at the number of experienced athletics directors that we had apply,” added Ford. “I don’t know how we could have had a better pool of talent to choose from.”
Lutton’s children, Matt and Brooke, are both JCHS graduates, as is his wife Cindy. His youngest son, Gavin, graduated from Wes-Del this year.
His hiring continues a recent pattern of hiring familiar faces for jobs in the administration and athletics department at JCHS.
Ford, another former AD, was brought back to the job in 2004, and then became principal after Jeremy Gulley departed in 2008. At that time, Habegger and Bev Arnold, both long-time JCHS teachers and coaches, stepped into the AD and assistant AD spots respectively. And this spring JCHS graduate Steve Boozier, who was the Wes-Del athletics director, was hired as the school’s football coach.
Lutton was given a two-year contract at $67,000. The board also approved giving Craig Campbell a two-year contract as principal of General Shanks Elementary School at $66,595 and a one-year contract for Robert Phelps as assistant principal of East Jay Middle School at $62,402.[[In-content Ad]]