Nationally recognized food service director leaves Austintown for Youngstown schools

By Justin Wier | April 20, 2017 at 12:02a.m.

AUSTINTOWN

Tascin Brooks, food-service director at Austintown School District, is leaving the district to serve as a food-service coordinator for Youngstown City Schools.

The Austintown Board of Education approved Brooks’ resignation, which takes effect July 1, at its Wednesday night meeting.

Schools Superintendent Vince Colaluca said Brooks has done a great job. He’s confident the processes and procedures she’s put in place will help them move forward.

“All the things Tascin has put in place, we just need a good person there to carry on all these good things,” Colaluca said. “She’s really got us in a great direction to do well.”

Brooks is helping with the interview process for her replacement, Colaluca said.

Brooks was Austintown’s first food-service director, and she was recently one of three food-service directors in the state nominated to attend “Produce Safety University,” a weeklong training experience sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The school was also one of 600 schools nationwide to win a Bronze Award in the Healthier U.S. Schools Challenge under her tenure.

Krish Mohip, CEO of Youngstown schools, said Brooks’ history of innovation and creativity in school food service is impressive.

“She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our district,” he said in a news release.

Brooks will serve under food-service director Sue Paris, who is quoted in the release as saying Brooks makes her team complete. The pair will work with Pat Lowry, director of strategic initiatives, to update the district’s wellness plan.

Brooks said city schools are undergoing a lot of positive changes, and she’s excited to work there.

“As much as I love Austintown, I’m excited to come here,” Brooks said in the release.

Brooks is the second administrator to leave Austintown for the city school district this school year. In September 2016, Colleen Murphy-Penk left her post as Austintown’s director of transportation to fill the same role in Youngstown.