The North Royalton Board of Education has appointed Carlin Culbertson to fill the vacancy left by John Higgins, who recently resigned due to a new job opportunity in the Cincinnati area. Culbertson's appointment was made at a special meeting on May 31 after the Board interviewed 15 applicants on May 23 and 24.
Culbertson, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Director of Finance for Summit Construction Company, will serve on the Board until December 31, 2025. A special election conducted by the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections in November 2025 will determine who fills the seat for the remainder of the unexpired term, which expires on December 31, 2027.
Culbertson brings a wealth of experience and a commitment to public service. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Akron, with a minor in Entrepreneurship. His civic and professional involvements include serving as a past board member (2017-2023) and board president (2022-2023) for the Adoption Network of Cleveland, as well as a past board member for Cleveland Hearing and Speech (2020-2023). Additionally, he was a past appointee to The Great Lakes Ohio Regional Child Abuse and Child Neglect Prevention Council, representing Cuyahoga County (2019-2023).
Currently, Culbertson is a member of the Associated Builders and Contractors Political Action Committee and the North Royalton Elementary and Middle School PTAs. He also served on the North Royalton School's Community Facilities Advisory Committee after the school bond issue passed.
Expressing his interest in becoming a Board member, Culbertson stated, "I currently have two children attending North Royalton City Schools, a fifth-grader at the middle school and a second-grader at the elementary school. I also have a two-year-old and a nine-month-old who will eventually attend North Royalton as well. I would like to be a Board member to do my part in ensuring that all the kids in this District receive one of the best educations possible with the available resources, and that the District employees have one of the best experiences possible."
"Carlin's education and professional experience as a CPA, including his work in auditing, consulting, and employee training, will be invaluable assets to the Board," said Board President Jacquelyn A. Arendt. "With his children attending our schools and his active involvement with the PTAs and District committees, Carlin has demonstrated his commitment to ensuring a high-quality education for all students in the North Royalton City School District. We are confident that his unique perspective as a parent and his professional expertise will greatly benefit our Board and contribute to the District's ongoing commitment to educational excellence.”
Culbertson will be sworn in at the June 17 Board meeting.