Aurora City School District welcomes new leadership

There’s about to be a change at the top in the Aurora City School District.

Superintendent Mike Roberto will retire this summer after 25 years with the district and will be replaced by Dr. Paul Milcetich, who currently serves as Aurora’s assistant superintendent of curriculum & instruction.

Roberto’s retirement from the district is effective July 31, 2025. The Aurora Board of Education approved Roberto’s retirement at its regular meeting held Jan. 27.

“This will complete my 25th year in Aurora and at the end of the semester, I will officially have over 34 years in education, qualifying me for full retirement. I am grateful for every one of them, but especially those I served in Greenmen Nation,” Roberto said. “I have been blessed with the opportunity to teach, coach, lead and ultimately serve this wonderful school district. It has been my honor to work with the ACSD staff, and I wish nothing but the best for Greenmen Nation in the future.”

After accepting Roberto’s retirement, the BOE unanimously selected Dr. Milcetich to replace Roberto as superintendent effective Aug. 1, 2025. Milcetich has been with the district for a decade, taking over as principal of Aurora High School in 2015 before becoming assistant superintendent in 2020.

“I am thrilled and grateful to have this opportunity to be the next superintendent of the Aurora City School District,” Milcetich said. “Since coming to Aurora 10 years ago as a high school principal, I have always expressed how truly special our district and community are. The students, staff, families and community are amazing. We are fortunate to have a strong foundation and culture focused on making sure we develop our students as human beings in a holistic manner. I look forward to collaborating with our school board, staff and stakeholders to build off of this past success and to set our standard in order to create the best possible learning environment and opportunities for our students moving forward.”

Milcetich, a 1996 graduate of Kent Roosevelt High School, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hiram College and a master’s in education administration from Kent State University. He also received his PhD from Kent State in education administration, K-12 leadership.

Milcetich’s career as an educator began as a social studies teacher in Solon in 2000. From 2007-09, he served as assistant principal at his alma mater, Kent Roosevelt, before moving on to Hudson High School as a unit principal from 2009-13.

“We thank Mr. Mike Roberto for his leadership over the last five years and look forward to Dr. Milcetich moving our district forward and continuing to ensure the success of our students,” Aurora Board of Education President Pam Mehallis said. “With exceptionally well-rounded experience and extensive academic achievements, Dr. Milcetich will continue to bring to our school district outstanding educational leadership. Over the last 10 years in Aurora, he has demonstrated high expectations as he has been an integral part of the team working to create an environment where students can flourish academically, socially and emotionally.”

This is the third time Milcetich will fill Roberto’s shoes, having also replaced him as Aurora High School principal and as assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.

“I am excited for both Paul and the district,” Roberto said. “Paul has been in Aurora for the last 10 years … However, over the last five years, we have worked closely with each other, and the next five months will be no different. This will ensure a smooth transition of leadership, allowing Greenmen Nation to continue on its current trajectory of excellence.”

At its Feb. 24 meeting, the BOE unanimously chose Aurora High School Principal Mike Hayes to replace Milcetich as assistant superintendent effective Aug. 1. Hayes will finish his fifth year as the principal at the high school this summer after having previously served as an assistant principal at Indian Hills High School in Cincinnati.

“To the board of education, I just want to extend my sincerest appreciation for your support,” Hayes told the BOE. “The opportunity means the world to me. And I’m going to continue to operate with the relentless passion for our kids, our colleagues and our community. And then to Mike and Paul specifically and the rest of our administrative team, I want to extend my deepest gratitude for your support, your collegiality, your leadership, your friendship, and you know I want to do in turn everything I can to support you all and in how to continue to give our kids the best experience as possible while continuing to dream and believe and operate with heart. Thank you.

“I take the role of being the Aurora High School principal as a great honor and responsibility,” Hayes added, “and to everybody in that building right there and everyone who helps the greenhouse thrive, I can’t thank them enough. For the life they breathe into me and the inspiration they give me on a daily basis, I feel just so lucky and so grateful for the experiences, and I’m going to continue to operate with as much heart and soul as we navigate these last few months of the academic year. I will do the same for the district in the assistant superintendent role for years to come.”