Connie Hathorn chosen to lead Youngstown schools

Connie Hathorn is the new Youngstown City Schools superintendent, the board of education announced tonight. The board voted 5-2 to offer him the job, with contract terms to be negotiated.

Wendy Webb, superintendent since 2004, is retiring at the end of the year.

Five finalists, all but one from Ohio, were interviewed by the school board and academic commission before answering questions from the public in forums over the past two weeks. Hathorn is executive director of Akron City Schools, and was the fifth finalist.

That list was whittled from 31 applicants for the job.

All of the candidates talked about the need to raise student test scores and bolster student achievement.

State report cards released last week by the Ohio Department of Education showed the city district with a designation of academic emergency for the second year. It’s the lowest rating, and the city district is the only one in the state to get it.