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Canfield principal to head Beaver schools
By Elise Franco
Lisbon
Kent Polen will face two major challenges as he takes over the superintendent post of the Beaver Local School District.
Polen, now the principal at C.H. Campbell Elementary in Canfield, was chosen Thursday to replace outgoing Superintendent Sandra DiBacco by the Beaver Local school board after a brief executive session.
He said that as incoming superintendent, he’ll have two challenges right out of the gate — contract negotiations with the teachers union and support personnel and managing a district that’s in fiscal emergency.
Polen, 40, said these challenges are part of the reason he wanted the job.
“Being in education, I’m always looking for a challenge, and I saw a unique opportunity at Beaver Local,” he said. “They’re in the process of making changes to move out of that fiscal emergency status, and I would like to be part of that.
“I think I’ll be able to work well within the district with the teachers and staff to make the district fiscally sound.”
Polen graduated from Hiram College in 1992 and has been an educator for 18 years with Dayton City Schools, Southern Local Intermediate, James A. Garfield, Struthers Elementary, Kettering City Schools and at C.H. Campbell.
He said his departure from the Canfield school district after five years is bittersweet.
“I’m leaving a very good situation working with the Canfield schools,” he said. “But being a superintendent is something I’ve wanted to do, and Beaver Local has offered me the opportunity.”
Polen, originally from Salineville, said he’ll take with him Canfield’s strong academic presence and try to incorporate that into Beaver Local.
“They’re able to work within a contract of standards and push the students to achieve more than what they thought they could,” he said.
He said he’d also like to incorporate more lines of professional development into the district.
“The professional development to the staff is very important because it helps the teachers to grow,” he said.
Canfield Superintendent Dante Zambrini said Polen was always at the forefront of teacher development. Zambrini said Polen also has a wide range of technological skills that he’s sure will be beneficial in his new position.
“As a younger administrator, he has the knowledge and application of technology, and I think that’s one thing he’ll continue using,” he said. “I believe he brought to us a greater use and understanding of technology.”
Polen said his employment must be approved by the district’s fiscal oversight commission June 13. He’ll earn about $93,000 in the first year of a three-year contract.