Central Crossing High School welcomes our new Assistant Principal and Athletic Director, Mr. Zoraba Ross.

Prior to coming to CCHS, Zoraba Ross served three years as an administrator in the Groveport Madison School District. The past two years, he served as Principal at Groveport Madison Jr. High school. The year prior, he was an Assistant Principal at the district’s high school.

Prior to his previous assignments (1999 – 2004), he was employed as Assistant Executive Director at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Performing and Cultural Arts Complex (d.b.a. The King Arts Complex) where he also served as operations manager in the achievement of all King Arts Complex goals.

From 1995 – 1999, he was employed as Recreation Administration Coordinator for Columbus Recreation and Parks, where he assisted the Assistant Director of Recreation with managing and coordinating seven major recreation sections of the department. These areas included community recreation, aquatics, adult and youth sports, culture and performing arts, senior recreation, special events and outdoor recreation education.

Before his assignment with Columbus Recreation and Parks, he spent 5 years teaching physical education for Columbus Public’s largest elementary school – West Broad. While teaching, he received several awards, including 1991 Ohio State University College of Education Alumni Young Educator of the Year and in 1994, West Broad Elementary Teacher of the Year.

A native of Marion, Ohio, his avenue to college came via a full athletic scholarship. In 1988, he earned a Bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University in Education. In July 2003, he obtained his Master of Education in Administration from Ashland University, Ashland, OH.

While attending OSU, Mr. Ross participated on the track team and served as captain for three years. During his athletic career at OSU, he held and received several school and Big Ten records and awards. After his running days as an athlete at Ohio State, he ventured into the coaching field. First, as a Graduate Assistant Track Coach at Ohio State where his responsibilities included coaching men’s sprint, developing their mental state, coordinating strength training programs and recruiting. While there, he had several NCAA All-Americans and qualifiers and Big Ten Champions.

During 1992, Mr. Ross accepted a one-year coaching assignment at West High School in Columbus. While there, he produced a State Runner-up, District, Regional and City champions and qualifiers.

Mr. Ross has been very active in the community serving as a member of the Central Ohio African American Administrators Networking Group, Delegation Leader for People to People Student Ambassador Program, Board Member on National Performance Network (New Orleans, LA), Ohio Arts Performing Network, Central Ohio Y.M.C.A. Future of America Committee, Executive Committee Member for Columbus Public Schools Arts and Communications Academy, The Ohio State University College of Education Alumni Society Advisory Board, Associate Board Member of The Roundtable Association, Inc. (Washington D.C.), Chair of OSU Black Alumni Advisory Council, Board Member of Ohio Advisory Committee to Restructure Health and Physical Education Course of Study; Member of Ohio Parks and Recreation Association, Member of USA Track and Field Association, Coordinator for the Jesse Owens Elementary Shuttle Relay Race, Instructor for USA Track and Field Association Youth Clinic, and television host for the Columbus Teen Forum talk show.