Elyria Schools announces leadership restructuring

The Elyria City School District will welcome familiar faces in an administrative restructuring plan announced on April 20, according to a news release.

The plan scheduled to go before the district’s Board of Education in September 2018 will fill vacancies at McKinley and Franklin Elementary Schools and promote long-standing employees to key leadership positions within the district, according to the release.

“These moves will put the right people in the right places to prepare for new schools in the master plan of facilities,” said Superintendent Tom Jama.

“We have many talented individuals in our district; educational leaders with proven expertise and commitment in providing the highest quality educational experience for Elyria’s students.”

Pending Board approval, administrative appointments for the 2018-19 school year will include:

• Dana Cerrito, Principal, Crestwood Elementary School (Cerrito is currently the assistant principal of Eastern Heights Middle School)

• Jodie Johnson, Principal, Franklin Elementary School (Johnson is currently an assistant principal at Elyria High School)

• Stacey Gatten, Principal, McKinley Elementary School (Gatten is currently the assistant principal at Northwood Middle School)

• Vince Velazquez, Assistant Principal, Eastern Heights Middle School (Velazquez is currently the coordinator of the Pioneer Academy at Elyria High School)

• Steve Grossman, Assistant Principal, Northwood Middle School (Grossman is currently the principal of Crestwood Elementary School)

• Jim Wall, Coordinator, Pioneer Academy, Elyria High School (Wall is currently the district’s Business Services Director)

• Alex VanWormer, Maintenance Supervisor, Elyria Schools. (VanWormer is currently the head custodian at Ely Elementary School)

The district will also welcome Jaime Barnier as Human Resources Director, replacing Gary Taylor who will retire in July, 2018, the release said.

Barnier comes to Elyria Schools with experience in all facets of HR operations and leadership roles in the healthcare field. The Board will vote on the appointment on May 2, and pending approval, Barnier will begin on June 1.

The May 2 board meeting will be held at Westwood Middle School, 42350 Adelbert St. in Elyria at 5:30 p.m.