Boardman school board appoints new operations director

BOARDMAN

Jack Zocolo, longtime special-education supervisor for the school district, will become the district operations director starting Aug. 1.

Zocolo replaces Timothy L. Saxton, who will take over as schools superintendent following Frank Lazzeri’s retirement from the role at the end of July.

“I am both honored and humbled in the confidence the board of education and district staff have had in my job performance and knowledge during my 19 years as a District Administrator for Special Education,” Zocolo said in a release. “I hope that I have made a difference in guiding our district in meeting the educational needs of our special education students and reinforcing that special education is a ‘service ... not a place.’ I enter this new chapter in my educational career with excitement for new challenges and lots of Spartan Pride.”

A three-year contract for Zocolo was approved by the school board at a meeting this week. Under the school district’s contract with the Boardman Education Association, Zocolo will make $50,412 annually.

Lazzeri praised Zocolo’s leadership of the special-education program, and noted that he was selected from a pool of more than 20 applicants.

“The cream did rise to the top,” Lazzeri said.

District officials will begin a search for a new special-education coordinator.