Timothy Saxton is new West Branch schools superintendent

Staff report

BELOIT

The West Branch Board of Education voted unanimously Wednesday to hire Timothy Saxton as the next schools superintendent.

Saxton is superintendent of Brookfield Local Schools in Trumbull County and has served there since August 2009. Before joining Brookfield, Saxton was principal of Columbiana High School from 2004-09. From 1997-2004, he served as assistant principal and then principal of Carrollton High School.

Saxton began his career as a special-education and social-studies teacher. He worked at Woodrow Wilson High School and Calvary Christian Academy in Youngstown, as well as Bell-Herron Middle School in Carrollton. He has coached varsity football, basketball and baseball.

West Branch Local Schools was established in 1960, and Saxton will be the eighth superintendent to serve the district. He replaces Scott Weingart, who was superintendent from 2004-15. Doug Phillips was hired in August 2015 but left in December to pursue a college football coaching opportunity. Wein- gart was named interim superintendent in January and will continue through July.

Saxton will begin his career with West Branch on Aug. 1. He will get a four-year contract that consists of 252 work days with 20 days of vacation. He will be paid an annual salary of $99,500 per year, the same annual salary paid to his predecessor Phillips.

“We are pleased to have found an outstanding educator and administrator who understands and appreciates a community such as West Branch,” said Earl Trimmer, West Branch School District president. “We look forward to working with Mr. Saxton and introducing him to the West Branch Community in the coming months.”

Saxton and his wife and family live in Cortland.