Southern Local appoints Mary Alice Sigler

Southern Local Schools has a new leader who is no stranger to the district.

Mary Alice Sigler was appointed superintendent by the Southern Local Board of Education Tuesday.

“Coming back to Southern Local is like coming full circle for me,” Sigler said.

Before serving the neighboring United Local School District for 11 years, where she oversaw special education and student services, Sigler was principal of Southern Local Elementary School for two years and assistant principal of Southern Local Junior-Senior High School for one year.

The Hanoverton native has spent much of her career in Columbiana County. She worked with special education students with moderate to severe needs and served as a pre-kindergarten intervention specialist for the Columbiana County Educational Service Center during a span of about 10 years.

Serving students with special needs has been a large part of Sigler’s background.

She said she became interested in teaching while majoring in speech and hearing science at Ohio State University and working with students at the Ohio School for the Deaf.

“I’ve always had a passion for helping kids and watching them grow and learn,” she said.

After earning a bachelor’s degree at Ohio State, Sigler earned a master’s degree in education from the school. While working, she continued studies in education at Franciscan University of Steubenville, where she obtained principal and superintendent licenses, as well as at Kent State University, Ashland University and Baldwin Wallace University.

Sigler said she strongly believes teachers can improve their instruction by furthering their own educations. She said she will encourage her staff to become leaders while building rapport with their students.

She said she is looking forward to returning to Southern Local Schools.

“I know the dedication of its staff, the character of its students and the pride its community takes in their schools,” Sigler said.

Board President Scott Hart said Sigler will be a strong addition to the district.

“We welcome her back to the Southern Local family and are excited to have her here,” Hart said.

Hart also thanked Sigler’s predecessor, Tom Cunningham, who recently resigned after several years as superintendent to accept a position at a North Carolina school close to his family.

Cunningham, a former Southern Local Elementary principal, had announced his retirement last year but remained while the board sought his successor.

To accommodate Cunningham’s move into a new position, the board agreed Tuesday to name Sigler interim superintendent until her three-year contract with the district begins in August.

Hart said the district’s attendance rate and state test scores improved during Cunningham’s tenure.

“That comes from great leadership from the top down,” Hart said.

Also Tuesday, the board recognized recent Southern Local graduate Maddie Jones for her performance on the high school’s track and field team.

School officials noted Jones set multiple school records and qualified for the state track and field meet in each of the last three years.

Jimmy Malone, Southern Local’s shot put coach, said Jones placed eighth in shot put while competing against athletes from larger schools.

Malone was joined by Kathy Randolph, head girls track coach, and Michael Skrinjar, the team’s conditioning coach, in praising Jones for her hard work and perseverance.

Jones also was a three-year letterer in basketball and the Class of 2026 valedictorian.

The daughter of Nate and Amanda Jones, she plans to study biology at the University of Mount Union in preparation for a career in medicine. She also will compete in track at Mount Union.