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Zocolo appointed operations director of Boardman schools
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 after 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 news 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.’”
A three-year contract for Zocolo was approved by the school board at a meeting this week. Under the 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 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.
In other news, school officials – along with township officials, teachers, community members and others – this week honored Lazzeri with a community event celebrating his retirement after 44 years working in the district. Hundreds of people attended the event at the high-school cafeteria, where a long line formed to speak with the outgoing superintendent.
Also attending was Lazzeri’s wife of 44 years, Charleen. She described her husband as tirelessly hard-working, spending many holidays at work and at times working more than one job to support their family.
She said they are looking forward to traveling and spending time with their three children and four granddaughters. Lazzeri likely will remain active in the community, too, she said.
“If he doesn’t find something to do, I’ll find something for him to do,” she joked.
Trustees honored Lazzeri with a proclamation noting the various positions he has had in the district over his career, and the accolades earned by Boardman schools during his time as superintendent.
“You have our sincere gratitude for everything you have done for Boardman township and the school system,” Trustee Larry Moliterno said.
School board members also reflected on Lazzeri’s departure.
Board president Vickie Davis told The Vindicator that she’s known Lazzeri since she was in sixth grade, when he was a school librarian.
“He’s been an amazing mentor, colleague and friend,” she said. “He’s going to be missed. There are no words. There aren’t enough thank you’s. We are truly, truly blessed that he called Boardman his home.”