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Next schools chief to start as deputy
Photo
Youngstown City Schools Superintendent Connie Hathorn
By Denise Dick
By DENISE DICK
YOUNGSTOWN
The educator tapped as the city’s next schools superintendent starts as the district’s deputy superintendent Monday.
School board members approved Connie Hathorn’s employment in the deputy-superintendent job at a meeting Tuesday, effective Monday through Dec. 31.
The resolution also directs the board president and attorney to negotiate “specific provisions” of Hathorn’s deputy contract to be accepted by Hathorn and approved by the board.
“He’s going to handle curriculum and instruction and handle spurring academic achievement,” said Anthony Catale, school board president.
Hathorn, who formerly served as executive director of student-support services in the Akron City School District, was selected after a national search.
Wendy Webb, superintendent since 2004, is retiring at the end of this year.
Board members were greeted by a sea of fluorescent yellow-green T-shirts as they entered the board meeting room.
More than 100 members of the Youngstown Education Association, the union representing the school district’s 630 teachers, attended the meeting, wearing the brightly colored shirt and carrying signs that read, “YEA United.”
Larry Ellis, union spokesman, said members wanted to show board members that they are united behind their bargaining team. The next negotiating session is set for Thursday.
He characterized progress as slow. The teachers’ contract expired June 30.
In other business, the board approved a resolution executing an agreement with the city to sell the vacant property at 621 W. Princeton Ave., the site of the former Cleveland School.
The price is $14,000, and the agreement also calls for the city to pay $750 in closing costs for the land. Officials have said that a grocery-store chain wants to locate a store at the site.