Stephen Stohla is Youngstown schools interim superintendent

Stephen Stohla of Alliance expected to serve for six months

By Denise Dick

denise_dick@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

The city school board tapped a former superintendent of both Brookfield and Alliance schools as the district’s interim superintendent.

Stephen Stohla of Alliance is expected to serve for six months.

No plans for a permanent superintendent have been announced.

Connie Hathorn, superintendent since 2011, resigned, effective June 30, to become superintendent of Watson Chapel Schools in Pine Bluff, Ark.

The school board voted 6-0 for Stohla at a special meeting Wednesday, with Jackie Adair abstaining. The decision came after the board interviewed Stohla and Marva Kay Jones of Copley, former superintendent of Warrensville Heights Schools.

Board President Brenda Kimble said both were good candidates.

It was “his motivation” that appealed to board members, she said.

“We liked them both,” added Michael Murphy, board vice president. “He seemed to be truly motivated to help kids and help the district move forward.”

Contract terms, including how much Stohla will be paid, must be negotiated.

Contacted after the meeting, Stohla declined to comment because he hadn’t been notified by board members of their decision.

Adair said she liked Jones and what Adair called her “more straightforward” responses to board members’ questions.

“I wasn’t looking for a cheerleader,” she said.

She didn’t want to vote against Stohla though.

“I thought they were both good candidates and if the majority of the board wants to go that way, I’m OK with it,” Adair said.

Kimble emphasized that the interim superintendent is a six-month position. If Jones is still interested after that time, she can apply to be the permanent superintendent.

Nine people applied for the interim superintendent position and a seven-member committee narrowed that list to four candidates to interview, and then recommended Jones and Stohla to the school board from which to choose the interim superintendent.

The committee included two school board members: Kimble and Murphy; two Youngstown City School District Academic Distress Commission members: Chairman Joffrey Jones and Paul Williams; and three community members selected by the school board: Celeste Bryant, Camille Pinkard and the Rev. William C. King of Price Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.

Pinkard is a retired Warren City Schools principal and Bryant has children enrolled in the city school district.