Youngstown City School District announces new administrators

YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown City School District has announced staff changes. in advance of the coming school year.

Sonya Gordon will be the chief of secondary education, a new position. Gordon served as East High School principal last school year.

CEO Krish Mohip said the new position will help ensure continuity of curriculum as students move from eighth grade into high school.

“We’ll be focusing even more effort into the curriculum and instruction at both East and Chaney and I know that Sonya is the right person to lead those endeavors,” Mohip said in a statement.

Jeremy Batchelor is East’s new principal. A city native, Batchelor’s background includes work in North Carolina schools. He comes to the city school district from Austintown Local Schools where he’s served as assistant superintendent since 2014.

“My career has allowed me to be a part of some transformation work in other areas," Batchelor said. "I felt that it was time for me to do my part in my hometown.”

Rob Kearns, who served as the principal of Harding Elementary School in 2017-18, will move into the principal position at Chaney High School this year. Bob Klinar, Chaney principal this past school year, resigned earlier this month to take a job in another school district.

“I have always felt a calling to serve students at Chaney," Kearns said. "My wife Angie is a 1994 graduate of Chaney. She went on from Chaney to obtain a masters degree from an Ivy League school.”

An announcement is expected soon regarding Harding’s new principal, the district said through a spokeswoman.