Stow-Munroe Falls school board: A new member and next steps for superintendent search

Antoinette East-Jenkins raised her right hand and took an oath of office to become the Stow-Munroe Falls school board's newest member during a meeting Friday.

Moments later, East-Jenkins and the three other board members who were present decided to meet June 3 to reinterview the two remaining superintendent candidates: Felisha Gould and Kristen Prough.

The newest board member requested documents regarding the search for a new superintendent, including community feedback notes, town hall comments, the tentative contracts and copies of the 180-day plans presented by both candidates. She said she would review the documents in preparation for the June 3 meeting.

New board member: Stow-Munroe Falls school board appoints new member, prepares for superintendent vote

After the interviews take place in executive session June 3, the board could vote to offer a contract that evening or during a separate meeting on June 4, said Nancy Binzel, school board president.

A time for the two meetings has yet to be determined as of Friday.

Choosing between two superintendent candidates

This decision comes after school board members faced backlash from community members and postponed a May 6 vote to offer the superintendent contract to Gould, the current assistant superintendent at the Cleveland Heights-University Heights school district.

Those residents supported the other finalist, Prough, Stow-Munroe Falls interim superintendent.

Superintendent search: Stow-Munroe Falls school board sets timetable for new superintendent search

Who is Antoinette East-Jenkins?

East-Jenkins' swearing-in Friday evening came two days after the school board voted 3-1 to appoint her to a vacant seat on the board.

The seat was previously held by Jon Leissler, who resigned in late April, citing family and business priorities. The term runs through the end of 2025.

East-Jenkins resigned as a cheerleading coach for the district to take on her new role. She also works in student services at Kent State University, according to her LinkedIn profile.

She previously worked at the University of Akron for about 16 years in various positions. She resigned as the chair of Stow's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiative in 2022 to work for Kent State. She also was part of a group in Munroe Falls that wanted to create a citizen's police oversight commission to review police department procedures and address police-related concerns.

Board members Binzel, Pamela Wind and Kari Suhadolnik voted in favor of East-Jenkins' appointment; Mike Sheehan voted against it. Sheehan was absent from the Friday meeting.

Bryce Buyakie covers courts and public safety for the Beacon Journal. He can be reached by email at bbuyakie@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @bryce_buyakie.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Stow-Munroe Falls gets new school board member amid superintendent hunt