Youngstown schools' CEO's first task: Listen to learn

YOUNGSTOWN — About a year has passed and a lot of legal fees have been paid, but starting Wednesday, the city school district’s first chief executive officer will be in charge.

Krish Mohip, 38, a Chicago Public Schools administrator, doesn’t have much time to lose.

The Youngstown Plan, the same law that required a CEO appointment by early June, requires Mohip to establish within 30 days a group of community stakeholders.

With that group’s assistance, Mohip will, within 90 days of his appointment, or by late summer, submit a plan to lift the schools out of the academic swampland they’ve occupied for several years.

“I’m going to rely on the leadership that’s in place now to say who should be on that committee,” Mohip said last week.

He expects senior district leadership, teachers, parents and students to be among its members.

“It’s going to be very broad,” Mohip said.

His appointment comes despite community groups protesting it, the city school

The new academic distress commission selected Mohip from the more than 30 people who applied. His three-year contract begins Wednesday.

Mohip is encouraged that so many people attended a forum earlier this month where he was introduced to the community.

“People believe in the city of Youngstown, and they believe in the students,” he said.

For the complete story, read Sunday's Vindicator and Vindy.com