“Coming back to Southern Local is like coming full circle for me,” said Mary Alice Sigler, who was appointed superintendent by the Southern Local Board of Education on Tuesday.

Before serving the neighboring United Local School District for 11 years, during which 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, having worked with special education students with moderate to severe needs and 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 big part of Sigler’s background.

At its meeting Tuesday, the Southern Local Board of Education joined coaches of the high school’s track and field team in recognizing Maddie Jones for her accomplishments in the sport. Among those taking part were, from left: Michael Skrinjar, conditioning coach; Kathy Randolph, head girls track coach; Amanda Jones, Maddie’s mother; Jones, Jimmy Malone, shot put coach; and Board President Scott Hart. (Submitted photo)

It was while majoring in speech and hearing science at Ohio State University and working with students of the Ohio School for the Deaf that she became interested in teaching, she recalled.

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

After earning a bachelor’s degree at OSU, Sigler went on to earn a master’s degree in education from the school and while working, continued studies in education at Franciscan University of Steubenville, where she obtained principal and superintendent licenses; Kent State University, Ashland University and Baldwin Wallace University.

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

She made clear she’s 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,” said Sigler.

Board President Scott Hart said, “I think she will be a great addition to the Southern Local School District. We welcome her back to the Southern Local family and are excited to have her here.”

Hart also expressed thanks to 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 on while the board sought his successor.

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

Noting the school district’s attendance rate and state test scores improved during Cunningham’s tenure, Hart said, “That comes from great leadership from the top down.”

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

School officials noted that in addition to setting multiple school records, the four-year letterer qualified for the state track and field meet in each of the last three years.

Faced with steep competition from athletes from larger schools, she placed eighth in shot put, noted Jimmy Malone, Southern Local’s coach for the event.

Malone was joined by Kathy Randolph, the head girls track coach; and Michael Skrinjar, the team’s conditioning coach; in praising Jones, who also was a three-year letterer in basketball and the Class of 2026’s valedictorian, for her hard work and perseverance even in the face of adversity.

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

(Submitted material)