Mayor strongly supports Youngstown schools top administrators

YOUNGSTOWN

Mayor John A. McNally said his “strong support” remains for the city school’s top administrators — Superintendent Connie Hathorn and Deputy Superintendent Doug Hiscox.

McNally’s statement to the media today comes a day after the president of Youngstown’s NAACP branch said the two administrators lack the ability to improve district academics and should be replaced.

McNally wrote that “some in the community continue to mistakenly believe that the academic problems of the district fall squarely on the superintendent’s office.”

He added: “No one is satisfied with the recent [Youngstown school] report card issued by the Ohio Department of Education. But, as Superintendent Hathorn pointed out during his State of the School District address last week, a period of stability must continue in the district, not only in school locations and academic programs, but also in leadership in the district.”

The mayor also urged more parental involvement for the district to “see long-term improvement in academic performance indicators.” Without more involvement from parents, “no amount of meaningful success” for the district “will occur.”