Warren City Schools’ Chiaro Named Superintendent of the Year

WARREN, Ohio – Warren City Schools Superintendent/CEO Steve Chiaro received the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation’s 2024 Ohio Superintendent of the Year Award.

The honor, awarded Thursday, is the highest accolade the foundation bestows upon an educator. The foundation celebrated Chiaro and presented the award to him at a banquet during the annual Jennings Educators Summit in Warrensville.

The recognition includes a $10,000 grant in Chiaro’s name from the foundation to the school district. Additionally, the foundation plans to visit the district during the 2024-25 school year and feature Chiaro on its website.

In May, Renee T. Willis, foundation executive director, explained in a letter announcing the award that honoring educators and elevating the teaching profession is a core mission of the foundation. 

“We are deeply honored by your Board President’s high regard for you, leading to your nomination for this esteemed award,” the letter read. “As you know, I am personally aware of your great work through the Ohio Mid-Sized Collaborative.” 

Patricia Limperos, Warren City Schools Board of Education president, nominated Chiaro for the award. In her nomination letter, she wrote that he “embraces and exemplifies your organization’s core values of Deep Learning and Excellent Teaching.” She lauded Chiaro’s support of the continued academic improvement of the school system. 

She also wrote that he believes that the district’s youngest learners deserve a strong start to their academic journey; that every student deserves a chance to excel; that each student should be “met where they are”; that all students are worthy of the best educational opportunities and facilities; and “that every student graduates from Warren City Schools prepared for their own individual successful future.”

Chiaro is in his 28th year of working for Warren City Schools. He has served as a teacher, principal, supervisor of school improvement and associate superintendent, and is in his 11th year as superintendent/CEO.

Pictured at top: From left are Renee T. Willis, executive director of the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation; Steve Chiaro, Warren City Schools superintendent/CEO; and Anne C. Juster, president of the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Board of Directors.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.