SCHOOLS District appoints ombudsman to boost relations with parents

The new position will handle concerns from the public.
YOUNGSTOWN -- The board of education has appointed an employee to improve the district's school-to-parent relationship.
John Terry Allen was named Tuesday as ombudsman for school-parent relations and mediation.
Allen, former manager of the district's community partnerships and alliances, will be responsible for investigating complaints and achieving fair resolutions with parents who are dissatisfied with the school's performance.
"There are three Rs in education: rigor, relevance, and relationships, and we've been weak on the third element,"Allen said.
Building a strong relationship with parents has been a challenge for the city schools, but Allen is confident that this position, created by schools Superintendent Wendy Webb, will prove effective in the long term.
During Tuesday's meeting, Webb reported that the district will receive a $510,000 grant to develop a mentoring program for middle school pupils.
The board also appointed Claudia Charity as community partnerships and alliances manager to replace Allen, and employed Gail Saunders-Smith as district literacy trainer.