AUSTINTOWN SCHOOL BOARD Superintendent to be named soon

After two years at the helm, Stan Watson is stepping down July 31.
AUSTINTOWN -- The school board expects to announce the next district leader before next month's meeting.
Atty. Brad Gessner, board president, said the panel has made a tentative pick for a new superintendent, but he declined to identify the candidate until details are completed and finalized. That should happen before the March 21 school board meeting, he said.
Superintendent Stanley Watson announced last summer that he would step down July 31. Watson has been superintendent since August 2003 and served 10 years as assistant superintendent before that. He's been an educator for more than 30 years.
The board enlisted the Ohio School Board Association to conduct the search for his replacement.
Twenty-eight people inquired about the position and 24 applied. That list was narrowed to five finalists who were interviewed last month.
Three were chosen for second interviews:
UDr. Walter Calinger, who has served as superintendent of Norton City Schools for four years. He has a law degree from Creighton University and a doctorate from Ohio State University. His experience includes acting as director of curriculum and instruction for Norton schools and assistant superintendent at Switzerland of Ohio Schools,
UDouglas Heuer, who lives in Columbus and has been superintendent of Johnstown-Monroe Local Schools for 11/2 years. He spent 10 years as principal and curriculum director at Dublin City Schools and
UEugene Thomas, who spent five years as Mansfield City Elementary School principal and now is the Mansfield City Schools' curriculum specialist.
Other business
In other business, Gessner said the district is considering the elimination of 10 teaching positions next year, which would save about $650,000.
"It's not going to affect academics," he said, explaining that although some class sizes may increase, course offerings won't reduce.