YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Youngstown City School District recently announced that the search for two experienced principals to lead Youngstown High School and Youngstown Middle School has concluded, and the candidates will be selected pending board approval.
The positions will be helmed by two district leaders: Tricia Mulcahy, the current principal of Chaney High School, and Michael Sauner, the current principal of Chaney Middle School.
In May, YCSD announced the 2026-2027 district reconfiguration, which will consolidate Chaney and East High School, as well as Chaney and East Middle School, into two separate schools located at the current East High and East Middle School buildings. The consolidation is part of a plan that will also see Youngstown Rayen Early College High School move to the Chaney High building, as well as Rayen Early College Middle School, which will also merge in the same facility.
Mulcahy has dedicated her educational career to the Youngstown City School District. She began her tenure in 2000 as a French teacher at The Rayen High School, playing a pivotal role in the consolidation of The Rayen High School and Wilson High School, as well as in transitioning those students to East High School.
She expanded her leadership responsibilities in the district as an athletic director/faculty manager. She later transitioned to an assistant principal charged with the transition of the former STEM/VPA campus into Chaney High School. Since 2022, she has been the head principal at Chaney High.
“My vision is to build excitement and pride, where every scholar feels seen and supported, and our unified staff will reflect the hope and success we want for our city,” Mulcahy said. “I am honored to help lead the charge and especially excited for the future of Youngstown City Schools.”
Mulcahy earned a master’s degree in education administration from Youngstown State University and a bachelor’s degree in French education, beginning at The Ohio State University and finishing at YSU.
Sauner is an educator with over 17 years of experience in public education. He has held various roles throughout his career, including high school math teacher, coach, athletic director and principal at the intermediate, middle and high school levels.
His philosophy on leadership centers on fostering strong relationships with students and staff, creating a positive and family-like school culture and ensuring clear and consistent communication. His approach to academics focuses on academic program development and implementation to support students’ educational journeys.
“I am incredibly excited and humbled to lead the soon-to-be Youngstown Middle School,” Sauner said. “This is more than a beginning; it is a chance to build something special, truly. We can forge a dynamic, new identity built on our shared commitment to our scholars’ success. Youngstown Middle School will be a place where all scholars, families and staff feel a strong sense of belonging, ensuring every scholar will be empowered to thrive academically, socially and emotionally.”
He holds master’s degrees in education administration from Concordia University Chicago and secondary education and teaching from Grand Canyon University. He also earned his bachelor’s degree in secondary education, specializing in mathematics teaching, from the University of Akron.
An additional leadership role will see Tara Amill, current assistant principal at Youngstown Rayen Early College High School, transition to co-principal alongside Monica Jones. Amill, a Youngstown native, earned a bachelor’s degree at Ohio University and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Westminster College. Over the past 28 years, She has served as a teacher, instructional mentor and assistant principal, with 14 of those years spent at the district level.
“I am proud to serve alongside Principal Jones in carrying out the mission of Youngstown Rayen Early College High School, to prepare and develop all scholars to be college and career ready in a rigorous, yet supportive environment so that they may become impactful citizens in any community,” Amill said.
“It is an honor and privilege to work with our founding principals’, board of education and district leadership as we move forward with expansion of opportunities at Youngstown City School District,” Superintendent Jeremy Batchelor said. “What I have seen from these leaders is nothing short of commitment, dedication and, most importantly, a love for our scholars and their families. The district’s work in teaching and learning, combined with our vision to create a hub of 21st-century learning, is making us stronger, better and an integral part of what makes public education great.”