New Philadelphia schools hires Carole Sutton as superintendent

Carole Sutton, newly hired as superintendent of New Philadelphia City Schools, says she plans on continuing the good things going on in the district and helping to move it forward.

Sutton, currently human resources director at the Stark County Educational Service Center, was given a three-year contract by the board of education at a special meeting March 25. She will earn $151,215 annually.

“We are thrilled to have Dr. Carole Sutton as our new superintendent,” said board President Jennifer Schrock. “She has a wonderful vision for New Philadelphia City Schools. I am so excited to see what she is going to bring, and I am excited for the future of our students and our educators.”

Sutton was one of 13 candidates for the position. The board interviewed four of them before deciding on Sutton.

“We were very pleased with our pool,” Schrock said. “We had four great candidates. Then we had a second round and selected Dr. Sutton.”

Sutton was chosen because of her vision for the district, her leadership strategy, her experience, her determination to unify the community and her passion for students and education, Schrock said.

Sutton replaces Amy Wentworth, who will be leaving the district this summer to take a new job as superintendent of the Indian Valley School District. She will be replacing her husband, Ira Wentworth, in that position.

“I'm very humbled and honored that the board has entrusted me with this position and the care that it will take to run this district,” Sutton said. “I'm very much looking forward to getting to know the students, building relationships with staff, community members and families and continuing the excellence that the tradition is.”

She said she was drawn to New Philadelphia because it’s much like her hometown of Salem, Ohio.

“It's absolutely charming, and there's a tradition of excellence here,” she said of New Philadelphia. “I'm just so delighted to be a part of that.”

Sutton also spoke in support of the 1.5% income tax issue that will be on the May 5 primary ballot. The money will be used to pay for construction of two new school buildings on a 77-acre tract on state Route 39 east of New Philadelphia.

The school district is slated to receive $80 million from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission to help pay for the project. The district would be responsible for the remaining $89 million. The total cost of the project is $169.56 million.

“It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to partner with the OFCC. You can't walk away if the community supports it. It's a wonderful opportunity to provide up-to-date and safe facilities for the community,” she said.

Sutton earned her undergraduate degree from Kent State University. She earned two master’s degrees and a doctorate from Youngstown State University.

She taught elementary school at Sebring Local Schools in Mahoning County for 10 years, was assistant superintendent of Marlington Local Schools in Alliance for six years and has been at the Stark County Educational Service Center for five years.