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Columbiana baseball coach leaving district

COLUMBIANA – The baseball coach who in 2010 led the Columbiana Clippers to the state final four in Columbus for the first time since 1981 is leaving the district.

The Board of Education accepted Scott Knox’s resignation this week. Knox, who had coached the Clippers since 2008, said that between 2009 and 2011 the team won the most games in a three-year span, including 21 in a row.

“We had great student players. I want to give credit to our players,” he said Wednesday, adding the trip to Columbus was the highlight of his six-year Columbiana career.

He decided to resign after being offered an assistant varsity baseball coaching position in Boardman. He is a physical education teacher at Boardman High School.

“The opportunity rose for the position and I’m going to take advantage of that,” he said.

The Clippers ended the last season with a 7-13 record.

Knox was awarded one-year contracts each year with a salary of roughly $3,000. His coaching style came under scrutiny by some parents last year who complained to the board and administrators.

Those who had complaints were also rebuffed by those who praised his coaching efforts to the board, who later approved bringing him back on for another year in November 2012.

Knox is a Columbiana graduate with a 15-year high school coaching career.

Superintendent Don Mook said he hopes to have a new coach in place by November or December at the latest. The district also needs to hire a new girls track coach to replace the one who left for a position in another district, he said.

In other business the board approved:

– The resignations of Carla Spaite and Debbie Dunlap as aides and a leave of absence for Joni Campbell, second grade teacher.

– Debbie Dunlap, Joseph Hamilton and Brenda Stockman as substitute support staff, Courtney Gallagher, Megan Hamilton and Heidi Troyer as substitute teachers, and Stephanie Baylor and Bob Davis as volunteers for a pupil activity program.

– A shared one year supplemental contract for Meg Silver and Stephanie Baylor as interact advisors.

– A change in contract status from probationary to regular for Brenda Melott as bus driver, effective Nov. 1.

– A sixth grade Camp Fitch field trip May 5 through May 7, 2014 and May 24, 2014 as the Class of 2014 commencement date.

– A first and second reading and approval of the new standards-based teacher evaluation system.

– Jerry Beltempo as head varsity softball coach.

– A contract with the Mahoning County Educational Service Center for the 2013-14 school year for web-based high school credit recovery program for a $300 administrative fee and $75 per student fee and an Ohio Schools Council cooperative purchasing program membership for $200 per district plus 18 cents per pupil, with an additional fee of $3,200 for 20 hours use of the Legal Hotline Program.

kschwendeman@mojonews.com

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