Jefferson hires new jr. high principal
Mar. 22—JEFFERSON — Students reporting to school in August will be greeted by a new principal at Jefferson Junior High School.
Ryan Martin, a 2015 Jefferson Area High School graduate, will return to his hometown. He will replace Richard Hoyson, who retired in January, said Jefferson Area Local Schools Superintendent John Montanaro.
He said Donald Rapose, formerly a principal in the Ashtabula Area City Schools, is the interim principal to the end of the school year.
Montanaro said Martin was chosen from 20 applicants.
"Ryan had an an outstanding interview that really set him apart from the other candidates. His experience being a teacher and administrator at the junior high level was valued by our interview team," he said.
The interview team included three teachers, a school psychologist, four administrators and Montanaro. He said the interview team was impressed with Martin's breadth of experience during his time with the Mercer School district in Virginia.
"As a graduate of the JALS he has the benefit of having a student's perspective of our school district and community," Montanaro said.
He said it is also good that students can see where education can lead them.
The JALS School Board approved Montanaro's recommendation on Tuesday for the 2024-25 school year.
Martin earned his Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Kent State University in May 2019 and his Master of Science in Education in Educational Administration from Youngstown State University.
Martin started his educational career at Mercer Middle School in Aldie, Virginia, where he taught seventh- and eighth-grade social science.
"In addition to his teaching duties, Ryan was deeply immersed in his school's educational programs," Montanaro said
He said served in a variety of roles as a teacher, including serving as acting dean in the absence of the sixth, seventh and eighth grade deans, and worked with professional development with the Mercer staff.
"In August of 2022, Ryan was appointed to be a middle school dean at Mercer Middle School in Loudoun County Virginia," he said.
"Loudon County Public Schools is a large urban district with more than 82,000 students and 12,800 staff members," Montanaro said. He said the dean's position functions as an assistant principal at the 1,442-student school with students in sixth to eighth grade.
Marttin presently oversees 475 students and the seventh-grade teaching staff. He also coordinates a variety of programming. including building operations, after-school activities and two fundraisers.
