43
Conneaut schools hire Warren Superintendent Michael Notar
By Ed Runyan
CONNEAUT
Warren Superintendent Michael Notar said Tuesday his upbringing in rural in Pennsylvania and small-town Brookfield, as well as fond memories of camping trips to Ashtabula County made the job of superintendent in Conneaut attractive for him.
“It’s a place where I could probably go to retire,” Notar, 45, said of the job the Conneaut Area Schools Board of Education hired him for Tuesday morning.
His three-year contract begins Aug. 1 and pays him $97,000 the first year, a $13,000 pay cut compared with what he earned during two years in Warren.
Notar said leaving Warren is not a reflection on Warren, but is reflective of what he thinks will be best for his family.
“I fit in with the kids. I think my personality fit in with the kids and the community,” he said of Warren. “I’ve had a good relationship with a lot of people here.”
Going back to Conneaut for interviews “brought back a lot of memories of growing up,” he said. He has two children, one who will finish his senior year in Boardman next year, and another in eighth grade. He’ll be looking for a home in Conneaut where the family can relocate, he said, adding that he’s looking for “longevity” at this point in his career.
Notar spent two years as Warren superintendent, four years in the Warren school district. His predecessor as superintendent, Bruce Thomas, left after less than one year on the job.
Notar said there have been “trying times” as Warren superintendent, but he “worked through it.” Notar said he’s got some vacation time to use, so he’ll probably begin working in Conneaut in July.
Christopher Newcomb, president of the Conneaut Board of Education, said Notar will earn $97,000 the first year starting Aug. 1, followed by $98,500 in year two and $100,000 in year three.
Newcomb said the board offered Notar the job Thursday to replace Kent Houston, who is retiring effective Dec. 31. Houston will remain with the district the last five months on special assignment. Houston has served as superintendent seven years.
Newcomb said Notar has the type of personality and experience the board was looking for, including experience with construction, which will be helpful as the Conneaut schools complete construction on a large, privately funded athletic complex.
“He’ll have to step right in,” Newcomb said of the project.
Warren schools replaced all of its school buildings with five new ones in recent years and has continued to make changes to those buildings while Notar has been superintendent.
Newcomb said the board felt that Conneaut was “blessed” to find someone with Notar’s experience level who was “willing to work in a small community.” Conneaut has about 1,800 students.
Bob Faulkner, a Warren Board of Education member, said he was going to talk to his fellow board members Tuesday night and learn how the other members feel about the steps they should take to replace Notar, such as appointing an interim superintendent.
“I really hate to see Michael leave,” Faulkner said, adding that he didn’t expect it but he understands that family reasons are extremely important. “I think he was doing a good job.”
Board member Rhonda Baldwin-Amorganos recently turned in her resignation effective immediately because of a job she took with the Ohio Department of Education that prevents her from being an elected official.