MANSFIELD — Stan Jefferson is expected to become the next superintendent of Mansfield City Schools when the board of education makes its decision Tuesday, according to a source close to the selection committee.
The board announced a special meeting for Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. to make its announcement. Jefferson declined comment on Friday afternoon.
The board interviewed five candidates this week, including Jefferson on Tuesday. Board president Renda Cline said all five were impressive.
Strong support for Jefferson was voiced at a public forum the board conducted on May 14. A petition was also circulated within the community that included more than 700 signatures boosting Jefferson for the position.
“What we need is someone with leadership. We need somebody who’s us — somebody who lives here and somebody who lays their head here. We need somebody that teachers will follow to do things. We need someone who won’t use us as a step on their resume,” said Brad Strong, a 24-year teacher in the district. “We need someone who is going to be here for us. We have someone right here on Townview Circle. I encourage you to hire Stan Jefferson.”
Jefferson was an educator and administrator in the Mansfield City Schools for 28 years. A Dayton-area native born in 1952, he was a successful head football and track coach for the Tygers and is a member of the school’s athletic hall of fame.
Jefferson served as principal at Mansfield Senior High School before he was hired by Jim Tressel to work with the Ohio State University football program, where he was employed for 13 years before retiring in 2017. He then launched a new company, Jefferson Rowe, that summer.
Jefferson was voted into the Mansfield City Schools Hall of Fame in 2009 and is a member of the Ohio High School football coaches Hall of Fame.
A co-founder and CEO of Jefferson Rowe Vertical Horizon Solutions Group, he speaks to school districts and elsewhere on issues of leadership, cultural awareness and more. Jefferson recently spoke to student leaders at Clear Fork high school and middle school.
He earned his master’s degree in education administration and education supervision from Bowling Green State University.
Jefferson also has a principal’s license and earned his superintendent certificate from Ashland University. He earned his professional superintendent’s license in 2015.
In October 2018, Jefferson worked with Mansfield City Schools to review school building systems.
The systems reviewed by Dynamix included heating, ventilation, central air conditioning, HVAC control, electrical, plumbing, lighting security, emergency egress lighting, fire alarm, sewage, water supply, fire protection and technology.
“It is my recommendation to give the greater Mansfield community the opportunity to receive and understand this data. Knowing that any final decisions made concerning the Mansfield City Schools’ buildings must be made by the Board of Education,” Jefferson said at the time.
“We believe that you will want the community to have a voice in helping determine the future of the schools.”
The school board voted April 17 to offer outgoing Superintendent Brian Garverick a new position, leading the district’s new Alternative School.
“An agreement has been reached which allows Mr. Garverick the ability to continue to work in the district and permits the board to pursue hiring another superintendent,” board of education president Renda Cline said after that meeting. “Both parties believe this transition is in the best interests of both the district and Mr. Garverick.”
