OXFORD — Expect a quick turnaround in the Talawanda district search for a new high school athletic director.

Superintendent Kelly Spivey on Tuesday said Chris Weaver will be hard to replace in the position, but the district will move quickly, with a goal of having a recommendation for the new athletic director on the school board agenda June 18.

Spivey said she began developing a plan to find Weaver’s successor as soon as she found out he was a finalist for the Kettering Fairmont job, in part because she thought he was a strong candidate for that post and stood a good chance of getting it, and also because of a deadline crunch to fill the Talawanda job if he did.

“There has been quite a lot of interest already,” Spivey said Tuesday, just a week after Weaver’s formal announcement that he was leaving. “We are looking for someone young who provides focus and organization, with skills to build community pride. We want someone motivating.”

Weaver leaves Talawanda after six years as athletic director to accept the same position at Kettering Fairmont, a high school with nearly three times the number of students as Talawanda High School.

Spivey said Weaver’s contract expires June 30 and an applicant who might leave another district to take it could face problems from their employers if they leave that job after July 10.

For that reason, as well as wanting the position filled quickly, Spivey said the position was advertised immediately upon his resignation last week and she planned to review applications at the end of this week.

The next step will be for a committee of district and high school administrators, coaches, parents and boosters to review the applications she forwards to them. They will make a recommendation of two applicants for interview by herself and board of education sports liaison Darrell Smith by June 11. Their recommendation will come to the full board for action on June 18.

Spivey said she hopes the district does not need to go to Plan B, which would involve hiring a long-term sub for the position if they cannot find a suitable candidate for board approval, but she downplayed that possibility, saying she felt the position would draw interest from strong candidates.

“Chris will be missed in the Talawanda district,” the superintendent said. “He brought focus to the department and his fundraising effort for the Field of Dreams was over the top. His success is part of his developing people.”

The Field of Dreams effort raised community funding to add a turf field to the new football stadium at the new Talawanda High School, which will open in August.

Weaver approached then-superintendent Phil Cagwin with the idea of a turf field the day after voter approval of the bond issue to build the new school.

Plans called for the new field, but Weaver and others wanted to raise additional donations to make it an artificial turf field instead of the planned grass field.

Weaver said last week that the school was named as the winner of the Fort Ancient Valley Conference all-sports award, which is symbolic of excellence in the overall athletic program.

That overall excellence is his goal, he said, and he leaves Talawanda proud of the work he has done to earn that award.

Spivey said his work is exemplified by the all-sports recognition.

“Chris is consistent and thorough,” she said. “He helped put the department on a higher standard, developing and following through with professional development. He sees the big picture for the district as well as for the department.”

Baseball coach Pete Maus, one of only three varsity coaches on the staff when Weaver arrived six years ago, agreed, saying excellence usually is a program-wide effort, not confined to just one sport.

“It’s rare that one program (in a high school) is excellent. It usually (carries over) to other sports,” Maus said. “Give Chris a lot of credit. I think Chris would agree, he is very satisfied with the coaches in the system. All the coaches and athletes are successful in Oxford.”

Spivey said Weaver will be a tough act to follow, pointing out that he has a high level of expectation for the department and holds meetings each season with coaches and staff to outline goals for the department to make it well-rounded and successful.

 “I have enjoyed working with him. He will be missed,” the superintendent said. “I’ve seen growth and progress. He’s ready to go to his new challenge.”