Don Wade -- Inducted 2021

Don Wade retired from Shawnee High School in 2015 after devoting thirty years of service to Shawnee Local Schools in guidance and administration at the Middle School and High School.  His career at Shawnee, along with an additional thirteen years of teaching at Bluffton High School, encompasses an incredible total of forty-three years in the field of education.  Don graduated from Lima Senior High School in 1968, and went on to get his B.S. in Education, with a focus in Comprehensive Social Studies, from Miami University in 1972.  His teaching career started at Bluffton High School in 1972, where he taught various Social Studies and History classes for the next thirteen years.  During this time, he received his Master’s Degree in Education, with a focus on School Counseling, from the University of Dayton in 1980.  In 1985, he started his career at Shawnee Local Schools as a Guidance Counselor at both the Middle School and High School.  He then received his Master’s Degree in School Leadership from the University of Dayton in 1988.  Don’s career in administration started in 1989 as the Assistant Principal of Shawnee High School, where he served until 1991.  He spent the next year as the Middle School principal, and then started as the principal of Shawnee High School in 1992.  He would serve as the high school principal for the next twenty-three years.  He procured his Superintendent’s Licensure in 2010, and served as the interim superintendent of Shawnee Local Schools for one year in 2016-2017. 

Don played a major role in Shawnee High School being recognized by U.S. News and World Report as a repeat winner for the “Best High School” National Award.  He was instrumental in developing Shawnee's academic excellence and rigor, and worked very hard to accomplish this for our students and families.  He helped to build Shawnee’s excellent reputation, and his hard work has helped to maintain our district’s high standards.  Deservedly, Don was also nominated for the OMEA Administrator of the Year in 1997 and recognized at their annual luncheon.  

Since retiring, Don has been enjoying time outdoors in the woods that he loves around his home, and spending time with his family, including his wife, Kay, their two sons and their families, and their two grandchildren, Ruth and Emery.    

Jean McCourtie -- Inducted 2022

Jean McCourtie retired from Shawnee Local Schools in 2016 after serving as an educator and school counselor for thirty-five years at Elmwood Primary, Maplewood Elementary and Shawnee Middle School.  Jean’s love of Shawnee Schools began when she visited Maplewood Elementary in 1974 as a member of her high school’s Future Teachers of America chapter.  As she continued her education at OSU-Lima, she took every opportunity to complete her early experience and methods classes at Maplewood.  Upon completing her student teaching at Maplewood in the spring of 1978, she started her teaching career at Maplewood the following fall.  After completing that school year, she took a brief hiatus from teaching and moved to Columbus, OH with her husband.  In 1981, they returned to Lima, and she resumed teaching in the 5th grade at Maplewood Elementary.  Having experienced a teacher strike, relocation out of Lima, and a reduction in force in 1982, Jean was ultimately hired by Shawnee Schools three times, and remained in the district until her retirement in 2016.  Jean has taught in all grades 1st through 6th, and ended her career as a Guidance Counselor in the same school where it all started.  She has served on countless committees assisting with curriculum development, and has been a Pilot School teacher and trainer for IBM Eduquest, a Team Representative for Effective Schools Grant, and assisted on the committee for Student Led Conferences.  She was recognized in the 1994 “Who’s Who in America’s Teachers” publication, was a Jennings Scholar for the 1994-95 school year, and received an Allen County Honored Teacher award in 1998.  

William Seiling -- Inducted 2023

Our Distinguished Educator for the 2023 year is Mr. William Seiling. After graduating from Shawnee High School in 1958, Mr. Seiling attended The Ohio State University and earned his Bachelor of Science degree as well as a Masters degree from Western Michigan University. He began his teaching career at Shawnee High School in 1968 in the math department and taught here for 29 years, retiring in 1997. He made an impact on every student that he came in contact with, even if they were not strong math students or math was not their favorite subject, he was able to help them learn. His ability to reach students and give them a chance to be successful in the classroom is why he is being given this great honor. Shawnee was blessed to have Mr. Seiling as a teacher and we congratulate him for being selected as the Distinguished Educator.

Ruby Logan -- Inducted 2024

Our Distinguished Educator for the 2024 year is Ms. Ruby Logan.  Ruby earned degrees from Bluffton College and Bowling Green University.  She began at Shawnee Local Schools in 1969 and taught here for 30 years.  She truly loved all of our students for who they were and who they were going to become, always having their best interests at heart.  She helped them progress through their odd middle school years and helped them learn in the most creative ways.  She made her classroom a place where they always felt safe.  Ruby was a devoted teacher, always striving for more. We were so richly blessed having Ruby as one of our own. We congratulate her for receiving this honor.  She will be honored at our district wide staff meeting on Aug 20, 2024.