MAHONING COUNTY

AUSTINTOWN
Administrators: Stan Watson, new superintendent; Becky Morris, new special education coordinator.
BOARDMAN
Administrators: David Kornbau, new associate principal at the high school; Jared Cardillo, new assistant principal at the high school; Randall Ebie, new Center Middle School principal; Joseph Maroni, new assistant principal at Center Middle School.
Curriculum: Reduced industrial arts offerings and increased technology-driven courses at the middle school; increased telecommunications offerings at the high school.
CAMPBELL
Administrators: Robert Martinko, new high school assistant principal; Damon Dohar, new principal for grades five to eight.
Curriculum: New technology classes will be introduced at the high school level, several classes will use the new distance-learning classroom.
Renovations: Locker rooms at the football stadium were renovated; the old high school, Penhale Elementary and Reed Middle School were all demolished.
CANFIELD
Administrators: School board plans to hire a new business manager before school starts.
Renovations: C.H. Campbell Elementary School gym roof was replaced.
JACKSON-MILTON
Administrators: Lisa Whitacre, new principal for Jackson-Milton Middle School.
Curriculum: New $150,000 Career Exploration Modular Technology lab for eighth- and ninth-grade pupils; middle school pupils change from a block schedule to a traditional four-year schedule; new textbooks are in all of the district's schools.
Renovations: Part of Jackson-Milton High School was renovated and became the new Jackson-Milton Middle School; renovations included refurbishing 17 classrooms.
LOWELLVILLE
Renovations: New bleachers were installed at the football field; Southside Elementary, Lowellville High School and Northside Elementary were demolished.
MAHONING COUNTY CAREER AND TECHNICAL CENTER
Curriculum: The engineering program has been moved to Canfield High School.
Renovations: Summer work renovated the heating and air conditioning systems.
POLAND
Administration: Cheryl Borovitcky, new principal at Dobbins Elementary School; Sue Sause, new districtwide special education director.
Curriculum: High school has new advanced biology, tech prep and career connections courses; middle school has a new distance-learning lab; elementary schools have new reading and music texts and kindergarten report cards.
SPRINGFIELD
Administrators: Anthony DeFelice, new assistant principal at Springfield Local High School.
Renovations: A new band shell for the high school football stadium was completed during the summer.
STRUTHERS
Administrators: Vince Colaluca, new interim director of instruction; Peter Pirone Jr., new administrative assistant in the middle school; Robert Canter, new assistant middle school principal.
Curriculum: Literacy Collaborative and Reading Recovery will be introduced at the elementary school; seamless delivery of computer-based programs is new in grades five to 12; focus will be on career exploration in grades five to nine and information technology and manufacturing technology in grades 10 to 12.
Renovations: Renovated middle school opens Sept. 2.
WEST BRANCH
Renovations: District is in the process of renovating and expanding the high school and building a new elementary/junior high building.
WESTERN RESERVE
Renovations: A small addition to the Western Reserve High School machine shop is under construction to accommodate the school's Business Manufacturing class; a storefront will be built and equipment was purchased for the class T-shirt manufacturing business; remodeling is being done in the front of the high school to replace old concrete.
YOUNGSTOWN
Administrators: Lynda Farkas, new principal at Cleveland Elementary; Hubert Watson, new principal at Woodrow Wilson High School; Joe Meranto, new principal at Choffin Career and Technical Center (pending school board approval); Timothy Kelty, new assistant principal at Wilson; Laurie Parise, new assistant principal at North Elementary; Lori Kopp, new supervisor of programs for disabled children at Williamson Elementary.
Curriculum: A Reading First literacy program will be implemented in kindergarten through grade three at Cleveland, North, Sheridan and Williamson elementary schools.
Renovations: Construction has begun on the new $6.8 million Harding Elementary and the new $6.8 million Taft Elementary, and officials hope to break ground on the new East Middle School, the new West Elementary and the new high school on the East Side in September and begin an addition to Chaney High School in October; all are part of the six-year, $182.5 million districtwide renovation and construction project with the Ohio School Facilities Commission. Other renovations included replacing air conditioning at the library in The Rayen School; completion of a new parking lot at Chaney; new concrete steps outside the administration building; refurbishing boys restrooms at Sheridan Elementary; renovating classrooms at the alternative school; interior and exterior painting and roof work at various schools; boiler, steam and furnace work at various schools; and new computer outlets installed at various schools.
CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF YOUNGSTOWN
Administrators: Christine Kijowski, new principal at St. Matthias in Youngstown; Kathleen Victor, new chief administrator at Notre Dame in Warren.
Curriculum: Math, science and language arts are the focus of a curriculum mapping project to study alignment between grades and schools; several schools are working on projects related to continued accreditation.
Renovations: Work continues at St. Charles in Boardman to add classrooms as part of a church/school complex project.
EAGLE HEIGHTS ACADEMY, YOUNGSTOWN
Administrators: Sandranette Sellers, who was principal of fifth- through eighth-grade pupils, will now be principal for entire kindergarten through eighth-grade school.
Curriculum: Introducing Active Board interactive technology tool in 10 classrooms.
Renovations: Office realignment; interior painting; new carpet in kindergarten and first-grade classrooms; new sidewalks and more extensive renovations were completed during last school year.
LIFE SKILLS CENTER OF YOUNGSTOWN
Administrators: Hiring now for new location.
Curriculum: Staff helps graduates find jobs.
Renovations: Will open new location on Market Street in September.
THE MOLLIE KESSLER SCHOOL, YOUNGSTOWN
Curriculum: Adding first grade, and will now offer first- through eighth-grade courses.
Renovations: Will be adding a handicap-accessible elevator to their new All Children Learn Differently location at 118 E. Wood St.
MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF THE MAHONING VALLEY, BOARDMAN
Curriculum: New environmental curriculum for all grades (age 3 to grade eight), including field work by seventh- and eighth-grade pupils.
PABLO PICASSO ACADEMY, YOUNGSTOWN
Administrators: John Brown, president; Marines Ramos, administrator; Chris Yambar, resident artist; Raymond Escribano, coordinator of the Little Picassos Saturday program; Bridgette Harasyn, director of day care.
Curriculum: Discipline-based art education with arts integrated into entire curriculum and pupils -- ages 6 to 17 -- grouped by age; an advanced level for gifted pupils; day care, tutors, school nurse and counselor available.
Renovations: This new school is located in the former Stambaugh Elementary building, 2420 Donald Ave; renovations have included construction work and painting and other work to bring the building to code.
SUMMIT ACADEMY FOR ALTERNATIVE LEARNERS OF YOUNGSTOWN
Administrators: Keith Gorby, new dean of students.
Curriculum: New programming that includes multiple intelligence teaching and the arts.
Renovations: New location has been painted and prepared at 1400 Oak Hill Ave. (former location of New Hope Academy).
YOUNGSTOWN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Curriculum: Launching a new Bible curriculum for high school students that will take them through the entire Bible and include study of world religions, career preparation and personal ministry.
Renovations: Plans are to break ground in September for an addition that will include 18 classrooms, a science lab, a library and a gymnasium.
YOUNGSTOWN COMMUNITY SCHOOL
Administrators: Cheryl Couts, new federal program coordinator/special education director.
Curriculum: Adding grade five.
Renovations: Have placed security louvres on all first-floor windows; will be installing a metal detector at the main entrance. Some funds for both projects come from the Ohio School Facilities Commission.