Chris Potts | Student-Centered Leadership

October 5, 2022

Community involvement is crucial when districts go through new construction or renovation.

This episode features Chris Potts, who is the Chief Operating Officer for the Upper Arlington City School District located in Columbus, Ohio. He takes a deep dive into how the district went about getting community support during their major renovation projects just a couple of years ago.

Chris leads the day-to-day operations of the Upper Arlington City School District. His department of talented directors oversees nutritional services, transportation, capital improvements, maintenance, grounds, and custodial operations, as well as human resources for the classified staff.

He is a student-centered leader who believes in the importance of meaningful relationships with faculty, staff, and students in order to achieve comprehensive excellence across the departments, which he leads.

Before joining Upper Arlington City School District, Chris graduated from Avon Lake High School in Avon Lake, Ohio. He received his BA in psychology from Denison University in 1998, where he also earned 4 varsity letters as a member of the basketball team and served as team captain his senior year. In 2001, Chris earned a Master’s Degree in Sport Management as well as a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from The Ohio State University.

On a personal note, Chris and his wife Megan, a 1994 Upper Arlington graduate, reside in Upper Arlington and have three children, Natalie (17), Charlotte (15) and Ryan (13).