Youngstown school board members disagree about principal selection


By Denise Dick

denise_dick@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Discovery Transitions to Careers at Volney has a new principal and assistant principal for the new year – or does it?

The appointments of substitute administrators Carol Staten to the principal position and Carl Sims to the assistant principal post were among the superintendent’s personnel recommendations before the city school board at its regular Tuesday meeting.

Jackie Adair, board member, said she’s concerned about the district’s continuing to hire people. She pointed to staffing surveys that have found the district employed too many people.

“I’ve asked for a staffing plan,” she said. “If there is one, I’d like to see that before continuing to hire.”

Dario Hunter, a new board member, said he has issues with the appointment of Staten to the principal job when Staten’s appointment to the academic distress commission is the subject of ongoing litigation between the school board and the teachers’ union.

“I take issue with the public image it portrays and with the action itself,” he said.

Stephen Stohla, interim superintendent, said Staten has been doing good work.

“She’s done a heck of a job over at Volney,” he said.

Stohla moved her to the principal job, effective Jan. 4. He moved Linda Reigelman, who previously served as the principal at Volney, to an assistant principal job at Chaney. It was among a handful of administrative changes Stohla made for the beginning of the year.

The board must approve Staten’s and Sims’ appointments.

Hunter said he’s concerned about the appearance of impropriety in Staten’s appointment.

“It does not give the impression of trust in the school board,” he said.

Michael Murphy, Corrine Sanderson and Jerome Williams voted in favor of the recommendations that include Staten’s appointment. Hunter and Adair voted against it, and Ronald Shadd and Brenda Kimble, who are related to Staten, abstained.

That raised the question of whether the motion passed.

James Reinhard, former treasurer, initially said he believes the motion passed based on three members, the majority of those voting, supporting the motion.

After he researched the matter though, he changed his position, saying because the motion involves appointment of employees, the requirements are different and that it requires a favorable vote of the board’s majority.

“I would still check with legal counsel,” Reinhard added.

Treasurer Sherry Tyson said she believes it did pass because Kimble and Shadd abstained.

Tyson said she also would check with district legal counsel. If the attorney advises that the motion failed, the board will have to determine what to do.

Kimble, board president, appointed Staten to the academic distress commission. The commission which will appoint a chief executive officer to manage and operate the school district, includes one appointee, a teacher, made by the board president.

The Youngstown Education Association, the teachers’ union, took issue with Staten’s commission appointment and filed a lawsuit to stop it.

They believe the appointment should be an active classroom teacher.

The case still is pending with a hearing scheduled for next week before Judge Lou A. D’Apolito of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Shadd questioned what Hunter meant by “impropriety.”

He said Staten, who is a retired principal, has turned the Volney building around in a short time, and that’s what the board should concern itself with rather than the lawsuit.

“I’m not convinced that is the motivation behind this decision,” Hunter said of Staten’s appointment as the Volney principal.

The board also honored Morris Parker, who has been volunteering in the city schools for 35 years securing donations from organizations, companies and individuals to benefit students.

At its reorganizational meeting before the regular session, the board voted to retain Kimble as president and Murphy as vice president.

Both votes were taken by a show of hands, and Hunter didn’t raise his for either. Adair didn’t raise her hand for Murphy’s selection.

No other nominations were made for either office.

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