School board splits in judging how well Webb performs

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Youngstown City Schools superintendent Dr. Wendy Webb

By Harold Gwin

YOUNGSTOWN — Members of the Youngstown Board of Education have a difference of opinion when it comes to judging the job performance of the district’s superintendent.

Overall, the board gave Wendy Webb a “satisfactory” rating of 5 (on a sale of 1 to 9) in an evaluation released earlier this month, down a notch from the “commendable” rating she received in November 2007.

A review of the individual board member evaluation forms shows they were widely split on how well they think Webb is doing her job.

Three — Anthony Catale, Dominic Modarelli and Michael Murphy — rated her overall performance as unsatisfactory.

Two — Lock P. Beachum Sr. and Shelley Murray — gave her a satisfactory mark, and two — Richard Atkinson and Jacqueline Taylor — gave her a commendable rating.

Catale, Murphy and Atkinson are new to the board this year.

Individual board member comments ranged from high praise to criticism.

“Dr. Webb established successful partnership with JJC [Juvenile Justice Center], Raymond J. Wean Foundation, Jobs and Family Services, Mahoning commissioners, the mayor’s office, Increase the Peace and local philanthropist [Tony] Lariccia,” wrote Taylor.

“Dr. Webb has an excellent understanding of administrative and regulatory procedures of public education. She has strong organizational and leadership skills,” Atkinson said.

“Academic plans are needed to remove the district from academic watch. Excuses should be replaced by what the district is doing to improve in areas of low rating,” wrote Beachum.

“It is clearly evident that she lacks the support of the community at large which is so desperately needed in order to have a school system that succeeds,” Catale said.

“[Webb] does not keep board informed of issues and operations of schools,” Modarelli wrote, claiming that the news media finds out things before board members do.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on vindy.com.