Denamen retires as superintendent

May 22, 2010 at 12:04a.m.

By HAROLD GWIN

BOARDMAN

The superintendent of the Mahoning County Educational Service Center is retiring.

Rich Denamen, who has held the post since March 2004, submitted his resignation, for purposes of retirement, to the center’s governing board Thursday. His last official day will be Sept. 30.

The board accepted his resignation and named Ronald J. Iarussi, assistant superintendent at the center since August 2009, as the new superintendent effective Oct. 1.

The board is sorry to see Denamen leave and will miss his experience and reputation, said Richard Scarsella, board chairman. At the same time, the board has full confidence in its new superintendent, he said.

Denamen came to the center after serving as superintendent of the Austintown schools for 10 years. He worked for more than 30 years in the Austintown system. He said he has no specific plans for his retirement.

Iarussi, who will be paid $108,354 in the first year of a three-year contract, came to the center after serving five years as superintendent of the Columbiana schools. His salary as assistant superintendent would have been about $98,000 for the 2010-11 school year.

Scarsella said the center will begin an immediate search for a new assistant superintendent/human resources director to replace Iarussi.

Denamen said the center’s focus continues to be on the delivery of service to public-school districts in the county in the area of curriculum support, early childhood and special education.

“It’s an exciting time in education,” Iarussi said, noting that, politically, there is strong state and national support for education reform.

At the same time, there is concern about a potential drop in state funding for education, based on Ohio’s budget shortfall, he said.

The center’s task is to continue to provide the same level of support while helping school districts to be fiscally responsible, he said.

“Education is certainly one of the keys to the revitalization of the Valley,” Iarussi said, adding that the area offers a quality education.