Interim Youngstown superintendent talks about plans

By Denise Dick | June 19, 2015 at 12:05a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Stephen Stohla, who will become interim city schools superintendent July 1, plans to spend his first few weeks meeting with people involved with and interested in the city schools.

He wants “to get their input on what’s working well and how they feel we can make the district better,” he said.

School board members this week picked Stohla, of Alliance, as the district’s interim superintendent. It’s a six-month position. Contract terms, including how much Stohla will earn, must be negotiated.

“I’m very honored that the board decided to put their confidence in me and gave me this opportunity,” Stohla said.

He served as Brookfield superintendent from 2007 to 2009 and Alliance superintendent from 2004 to 2007. From 2010 to 2011, Stohla worked as Northeast Ohio regional vice president at Mosaica Education Inc. He oversaw six charter schools. He also was one of the coaches working with Youngstown City Schools principals for Mosaica Turnaround Partners.

“Within the next several weeks I want to meet with as many individuals and groups including board and distress commission members, building administrators, union leaders, city leaders, the chamber of commerce, officials at Youngstown State and as many community leaders, including from the religious community, as possible,” Stohla said.

He wants to learn from those groups and individuals about what they think is working in the district and should continue, and what needs improvement.

The incoming interim superintendent noted that the city district’s report-card scores are improving across many areas. He says he wants to make sure that improvement continues and expands to include all areas.

Stohla also plans to address the loss of students to other districts and schools.

“You do that by creating a safe, nurturing environment and making sure kids have an opportunity to learn,” he said.

Stohla worked as a principal in Ravenna, a football coach at Portsmouth High School and a physical education and health teacher and football coach at Wynford High School in Bucyrus, Ohio. He also served in the Ohio Army National Guard.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Baldwin-Wallace College and his master’s from the University of Dayton.

“Education is the key to opening doors to everyone,” Stohla said.