Brookfield chief to get early start on job

The new superintendent will be promoting the school levy this weekend.
BROOKFIELD -- Michael Notar doesn't officially take over as schools superintendent until Aug. 1, but he plans to roll up his sleeves this week and start working to meet the challenges facing the 1,576-pupil district.
Notar, 36, a product of the Brookfield school system, will join other school officials Saturday and Sunday in knocking on residents' doors and lobbying for the district's 7-mill tax proposal on the May 3 ballot. The tax would generate about $900,000 a year and help the district cope with a deficit. Recent attempts by the school system to pass a levy have ended in failure.
While acknowledging that his impact at the 11th hour is likely to be minimal, Notar said, "I will try to help out as much as possible.''
Appointment
Notar, principal at Stadium Drive Elementary School in Boardman, was appointed superintendent Saturday by a 3-2 vote of the school board. He will be paid $75,000 a year and is replacing Supt. Joseph White, who his retiring.
"I'm excited,'' he said. "I took a tour of the high school after the meeting [Saturday]. "It was nice to see the school again.
"It's a nice opportunity for my family and I to move back to the Brookfield area and send our kids there and be the superintendent.''
He and his wife, Tabitha, have a two children, Michael 7, and Delaney, 4.
Notar graduated from Brookfield High School in 1987 after having attended district schools since the fourth grade.
He taught for three years in the Ottoville School District, one year in the Crestview Convoy schools , both in Ohio, and then moved to Mahoning County, where he taught for three years in the South Range district.
Notar served for a year as Crestview School District's K-4 principal before taking over as principal at Stadium Drive Elementary, where he is in his fourth year.
Priorities
Putting together his goals for the Brookfield district will be among his priorities, Notar said. "I think one of the major goals is to get around and meet the staff, administrators and the students."
He'll get an opportunity to do just that Wednesday at 7 p.m. when a meet-the-superintendent meeting will be held at Brookfield High. Notar said he will be there with his family to meet school officials, administrators, teachers and the public.
Notar said he doesn't anticipate any difficulties with the school board, despite the fact that his appointment came on a split decision, with members Joanne Sydlowski and John McBride voting against his appointment.
"The interviewing process went very well,'' he said. "It's a good school board. I don't think I'll have any problems working with them.''
Meanwhile, the Notar family will be looking for a home.
"We're ... planing on moving this summer to Brookfield and putting our kids through Brookfield schools,'' he said. "I got a great education there."