GIRARD — School officials say the newly created associate superintendent position will pay for itself because the district no longer will need to pay the Trumbull County Educational Service Center for the gifted student services she will provide.

The Girard Board of Education recently approved creating the position and named current Girard Intermediate Principal Julianne Ware to the post, effective Aug. 1.

“A quarter of her salary offsets the current costs of what we have been paying the Trumbull County Educational Service Center to do the district’s gifted services,” Superintendent Bryan O’Hara said.

O’Hara said Ware also will be the compliance officer for the district and handle Title IX programs, including harassment issues, which will relieve building principals of some of that responsibility and allow them to focus more on curriculum and management of the buildings.

He said Ware also will handle state and local grants for the district and will oversee the alignment and expectations of the district’s positive behavior intervention support districtwide.

Other responsibilities and duties of the associate superintendent include:

• Assist all administrators and staff with the linking of the strategic plan priorities with instruction, staff development, and financial goals and operation;

• Monitor the development of pre-K-12 grade courses of study, adoption of instructional resources and material, and the selection of instructional supplies and equipment;

• Provide leadership in the implementation of academic programs throughout the district;

• Collect and analyze performance data regarding the achievement of students.

O’Hara said the Girard Board of Education has looked at the needs of the district and the current responsibilities of the superintendent and decided to establish the new position to move the district forward. Ware also will act as superintendent in O’Hara’s absence.

O’Hara said there have been assistant superintendents in the past, but Ware will be the first since his time as superintendent.

The district’s enrollment is 1,700 students, which O’Hara said has been steady for the past few years despite open enrollment of students to and from the district.

“We have been able to sustain our student population over the years,” he said.

O’Hara said other school districts also have an associate superintendent, but sometimes they are under different titles, such as federal program organizers or directors of curriculum and instruction.

“They may have different titles, but have similar responsibilities,” he said.

He said Girard is equal in the number of administrative positions compared to other districts of similar size.

Ware has served as intermediate principal for three years and is on a 215-day contract at $79,000. As associate superintendent, she will be on a 220-day contract at $96,000.

Board President Mark Zuppo said the board has been discussing getting an associate superintendent for many years to take some of the workload off the superintendent, principals and assistant principals.

Zuppo said Ware will handle the professional development of the staff and implementation of the curriculum.

Warren City School District has an associate superintendent of student services and student wellness and success with an enrollment of 4,627 students.

Howland schools has a supervisor of curriculum and instruction / federal programs / and Title IX compliance with an enrollment of 2,464.

Niles city schools has a director of teaching and learning / federal programs / and curriculum instruction with an enrollment of 2,035 students.