A veteran Mansfield City Schools teacher has joined the district’s administrative ranks as Director of Student Support Programs.
Holly Christie began her new role on Thursday at the Raemelton central office. 
Her hiring will be formally approved during the board of education meeting on Tuesday. “I am grateful for the opportunity to remain in the district and utilize my training to support our students, parents and staff,” said Christie, who is beginning her 26th year in Mansfield.
She is a product of Mansfield City Schools from Kindergarten through Malabar High School.
Christie’s administrative position is not a new one. It is the former Director of State and Federal Programs role from which Betsy Alexander retired on July 31. The position was renamed to more accurately reflect its emphasis.
“A big part of my responsibilities will be to work to gain state and federal grants to benefit students and staff. Throughout my career I have recognized how important those grants are,” Christie said. “The best part is that I can apply all of the training this district has invested in me.”
At various times in her career Christie has worked in Prospect, Sherman and Woodland elementary schools. Most recently she was a Title I Reading Recovery and Leveled Literacy Intervention teacher at Prospect.
Christie received a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Kent State University and a master’s in that field from Ashland University. She currently is completing work on her doctorate in teaching and learning from the University of Findlay.
“Mansfield City Schools does a wonderful job of developing quality teachers. We train them well, so well that other districts try to lure them away,” Christie said. “I found a wonderful quote about developing teachers that I plan to post above my desk: ‘Train them so they can leave, but treat them so they won’t want to.’”
