Bowling Green City Schools has taken another step toward building a bridge between the district and the community.

At its February meeting, the board hired Jennifer Campos as the district’s communications and public relations director.

Campus had served as community outreach coordinator and public information officer for the Wood County Health Department since 2013. The board accepted her resignation Thursday.

She started with the school district March 11 and will be paid $29,644 through July 31. Her base salary for next school year will be $75,000.

“This is yet another step toward the progress we are making as a district and one more way we are building a bridge between the school district and the community,” said board President Tracy Hovest.

The district received 21 applicants for the position “and it was a very competitive pool of candidates,” said Superintendent Ted Haselman.

The district held three rounds of interviews.

“It was apparent Jennifer was the top candidate and a great fit for this position,” he said.

Campos is a Perrysburg High School graduate and earned her bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Toledo and master’s degree in administration from Central Michigan University.

She currently lives in Maumee.

She has worked with BGCS in her position with the health department, including the Blessings in a Backpack and Veggie U projects.

“It was a good fit,” she said about her interest in the district’s job. “I was on the board of education for Maumee City Schools for four years and as a parent of high schoolers, being familiar with the school district here and the community … and working in Bowling Green for over 10 years, I thought it would be a perfect combination of my background and skills.”

She planned to go into the different schools and learn about their activities and attend booster meetings and connect with people in the community.

“I think it’s important to know a lot of different parents and school staff and people who are involved in a lot of the different activities,” Campos said.

“I’m going to be a big cheerleader for all of the great things going on,” she said.

Haselman said the community can expect more information be shared about the district including an improved presence on social media, regular district newsletters, and a quality profile document highlighting six areas of the district including academics, the arts, student leadership and activities, fiscal stewardship, parent/community involvement and student services.

A community-wide school calendar will be developed with district events.

“We’ve got a lot of work ahead, so please give us some time to get these items in place but I do believe the community will be much more informed by adding Jennifer into this role,” Haselman said.