The 2017-2018 administrative leadership teams at Mansfield Senior High School and Mansfield Middle School are complete, and Tuesday was the first official day of work for new administrators who joined others for an afternoon meeting to review priorities for the coming school year.
Serving as assistant principals under Mansfield Senior High Principal Jose Hernandez are:
Fuzzie Davis, veteran Senior High educator, -who will continue her role as director of the Sophomore Academy.
Timothy “Scott” Musser II, who will oversee the Career Tech program. Musser most recently was principal and chief operating officer of Bio-Med Science Academy STEM School at Rootstown, Ohio.
Andrew Schiefer, who will direct the Freshman Academy. Schiefer comes from Wynford Local Schools in Bucyrus where he most recently served in the multiple roles of elementary principal, transportation supervisor and preschool supervisor. Schiefer was excused from Wednesday’s administrators meeting because of a previous commitment.
At Mansfield Middle School, Principal Robert McQuate will be joined by new Assistant Principal Ronnie Brown, who comes from Columbus City Schools where he was principal of Yorktown Middle School.
Brown replaces Jason Douglas who now is principal of Prospect Elementary School.
During the afternoon meeting Superintendent Brian Garverick emphasized student safety and academic achievement as the district’s top priorities.
Recalling the rash of bomb threats that plagued the district two years ago – all of which proved to be false – Garverick stressed the immediate need to protect students in any threatening situation.
“I’m the second call you make after law enforcement,” he told principals. Garverick made sure new administrators have his cell phone number.
Curriculum Director Stephen Rizzo, who previously served as principal at three of the district’s elementary schools, said the district is poised to continue moving forward. “The last 10 years have been challenging with staff reductions, building closings and, most recently, fiscal emergency,” Rizzo said.
Mansfield City Schools was in fiscal emergency for three years before the auditor of state released the district on Dec. 20.
“We have got to continue our upward progress. We can do it,” Rizzo said. “We will merge new ideas with established practices.”
The district will have six days of intensive staff professional development – three in the week before school starts and three more during the school year. Most students will return to school on Aug. 21. Grades 8, 11 and 12 will start on Aug. 22.
