EP superintendent set to resign July 31
EAST PALESTINE — Three days after the Boardman Local School District named Chris Neifer as their next superintendent, East Palestine City Schools issued an official press release Friday afternoon, wishing Neifer the best and extending gratitude for leaving the district better than he found it.
Neifer will replace longtime Boardman Superintendent Tim Saxton. Saxton is set to resign July 31 — the same day Neifer’s resignation from East Palestine goes into effect. Neifer spent nearly a decade in East Palestine where he moved up in the ranks from elementary principal to high school principal (a position he took over in 2015) to superintendent (the office he has filled since 2018).
“(Neifer) has handled many unexpected obstacles as a leader, with grace and stability. His leadership proved invaluable in laying a solid foundation for both students and staff amid the turmoil of events like the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2023 train derailment,” the press release said. “With him at the helm, new programs and exciting opportunities became available to our students, reflecting a commitment to constant growth and advancement.”
Neifer’s leadership helped East Palestine navigate through the new normal as the nation faced the uncertainty and unknown of COVID-19 in 2020. In February of 2023, the Bulldog community faced uncertainty and the unknown again in the wake of Norfolk Southern train derailment — that time as the nation watched. As the village recovered from the rail disaster, Neifer, while not dismissing the severity of the derailment, applied it as another learning tool for students in the district and a lesson is perseverance. He echoed those sentiments on Friday.
“I will always have fond memories of my time here in East Palestine. We have been through so much together as a Bulldog family, but the strong sense of community and collaboration allowed us to persevere,” Neifer said. “We have built capacity in our leadership teams and I am confident that the district will continue to grow and cultivate an effective learning environment for our students.”
While Neifer has been a part of the East Palestine community for the last nine years, he has called Boardman home for the past 20 His son is currently a junior at Boardman High School. Neifer’s name was mentioned early on in Boardman’s hunt for a new superintendent. Boardman said ultimately Neifer was the best fit for the district after considering a long list of candidates.
At East Palestine, Friday’s press release said the search for Neifer’s replacement will be conducted through a collaborative effort between the East Palestine School District Board of Education and the ESC of Eastern Ohio. That replacement, according to East Palestine School Board President Jen Andre, Neifer will leave big shoes to fill.
“It is a huge loss for the students, staff and community of East Palestine,” Andre said . “Mr. Neifer’s strong leadership has been invaluable, but our commitment to upholding the established vision and promoting Bulldog Pride is unwavering.”