CCP Marshalls

Congratulations to Coldwater Community Picnic Grand Marshall

We now reveal our final Grand Marshall for the 63rd Annual Coldwater Community Picnic. Every year we honor individuals who exemplify service to our community.

Doug Mader

The Coldwater Community Picnic proudly announces Doug Mader as the 2023 Parade Grand Marshal.  Doug is currently the Superintendent of the Coldwater Exempted Village School and has long ties to the Coldwater community.   Born and raised in Coldwater, he graduated from Coldwater in 1980, upon which he enlisted in the United States Air Force as an inventory management specialist.  Doug served time around the world with time in Germany, Egypt, England and time stationed here in the United States. After serving in the Air Force, Doug obtained his undergraduate degree in Mathematics from Thomas More College and his master’s degree in Educational Administration at the University of Dayton. He also did his doctoral work at the University of Kentucky.  From 1987 to 2003, Doug was a high school mathematics teacher at various schools, including Celina High School.  In 2003, Doug accepted the High School Assistant Principal position at Sycamore Community Schools until 2006, where he taught for three years. Doug was then hired as the High School Principal at Kings Local School.  He worked there until 2014 when an opportunity arose to become the High School Principal at his former school, Sycamore Community Schools.  During his tenure at Sycamore Community School and which continues today, Doug became a partner in creating a new planned city outside of Cluj, Romania. Doug’s roles and responsibilities in this new city involved creating an innovative school, recruiting educators and parents to the Colina Learning Center, and developing their overall academic strategy.  Doug continues to be an academic strategist and the Chairman of the Board for the Colina Learning Center. He was the principal at Sycamore High School for eight years until he was approached about the Superintendent opening at his alma mater, Coldwater.  Doug commented, “I never imagined that I would move back to Coldwater, but the longer you are away, the more you forget how special it is to live in Coldwater. Since I have returned, I have said that Coldwater is known for its work ethic, family, love and kindness.  I have seen and felt this on a daily basis.  This move has been the best personal and professional move I have made in my career.  I would encourage anyone to look at moving home if something is missing where they currently live. I genuinely believe God opened the door for the opportunity to move home and I am grateful that Frank Forsthoefel, another Coldwater kid, encouraged me to walk through that door.

Since returning to Coldwater, Doug has greatly impacted the staff, students, and families at the school and the community.  He has encouraged and promoted school pride throughout the school and community with Orange Pants Friday, Orange Shoes Thursday and Orange Socks Tuesday.  Doug continuously supports the students and staff by attending school events, encouraging acts of kindness, and holding leadership workshops for the staff.  He has even brought in a special “Assistant Superintendent” dog named Rusty, which the students and staff love to see in the hallways. We can also see the school pride periodically downtown with Coldwater Cavalier Flags flying thanks to the generous donation of the Cron family.   Coldwater High School Principal Jason Hemmelgarn commented, “Doug has been a breath of fresh air coming in.  He has been extremely positive and forward-thinking on how best to serve our Coldwater School stakeholders.  His past history rooted in Coldwater has made it special for him as well as for all of us!”

Doug currently resides in Coldwater and is the father of three adult children Caleb, Sydney, and Trent who live in Cincinnati.  He is proud to be a part of Coldwater School and the community and is encouraged about the future.  “Coldwater is a very special place with very special people. My hope is that Coldwater Schools is that bright shining star for the community that unites everyone and that everyone is proud to be a Cavalier. The positive momentum we have and this honor are not about me, but it is about our students, our leadership team, our board of education, our teaching staff, our support staff, and most importantly, our fantastic community. Together as a community, we can accomplish anything and we will make our schools the best in the state and a place where our most precious commodity, our students, will love to come to school and be proud to be a Cavalier.”