Schools

Chris T. Jelepis earned a B.S. in Music Education and an M.A. in Education Administration from Case Western Reserve University and a PhD in Education Administration from the University of Akron.   The Bratenahl School Board entered a two-year contract with Chris Jelepis to replace Jerris K. Miller as Superintendent of the school system, with a term commencing July 1, 1970.

During his two years as Superintendent, Jelepis oversaw the opening of Bratenahl High School in three buildings at the U.S. Nike Site on the western end of the village.  As reported in The Bratenahl PTA News:

“It is safe to say that our high school would not be in existence without the selfless devotion and effort on the part of Mr. Chris Jelepis, Sup’t.  It is impossible to list all he has done.  Apart from the usual duties of hiring staff and making arrangements for the buildings he has worked with the University of Akron advisors on the curriculum etc. and had conferences with various officials in Columbus in connection with the charter and court action, to mention a couple of the innumerable steps toward the OK to continue to operate our own district.”

At the time, a local educator wrote after a visit that he was “most impressed that, in the short period of time mandated, the high school was organized so efficiently and so uniquely by Dr. Jelepis and his associates.”

In June 1972, Chris Jelepis announced that he was resigning as School Superintendent.  He was selected to head the Upper Chichester School District in a suburb of Philadelphia.  His new district would have 5,000 students, compared to 260 in Bratenahl.  While admitting that his new position offered “substantially more money,” Jelepis was quick to discount that the pending court proceedings over a possible merger of the Bratenahl and Cleveland School Districts influenced his decision.

“I am not leaving because of the litigation.  If anything, I have thrived and survived on the struggle we have made to keep the district alive,” Jelepis said. . .. “Bratenahl now has a quality education program that conforms to minimum standards.  Because of that, I’m expendable,” he said.”

Chris T. Jelepis led the Chichester School District in Boothwyn, Pennsylvania from 1972 to 1978 and the Haddonfield School District in Haddonfield, New Jersey from 1978 to 1981.  He was the Director of Graduate Cooperative Education at Drexel University in Philadelphia from 1981 to 1996.  After leaving this position, he continued to be employed as an instructor at Drexel University.