New executive director of teaching, learning hired

WARREN -- The board of education has hired Kathy M. Shook as executive director of teaching and learning.
Under her contract, Shook, of Canfield, will be an independent consultant from Nov. 1, 2005, through June 30, 2007. She will be paid $346 a day for a 260-day work year.
Shook, who now serves as the district's special education supervisor, is a doctoral candidate in educational leadership at Youngstown State University. She was previously director of pupil services for the Poland schools.
A graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School in Youngstown, she holds a bachelor's degree in education and master's degrees in guidance and counseling and in educational administration, all from YSU.
Newly created post
Her new duties include overseeing curriculum development, coordinating testing and textbook adoption, developing continuous improvement strategies, and maintaining a working relationship with community-based groups and parents in support of curriculum development and student achievement.
Shook assumes her new post as the school district is in academic watch, but individual schools range from academic emergency to excellent status on the state report card.
In appointing Shook Tuesday to the newly created position, the board fulfilled one of the goals set forth in August by its newly hired superintendent, Kathryn Hellweg.
In other action, the board hired Elizabeth Janecko, its retired associate superintendent, as substitute principal at East Middle School at $350 per day as needed for the remainder of this school year.