July 29, 2024 • 28 mins
Stan Jefferson is in his 5th year as Superintendent of Mansfield City Schools, which has been around for roughly 200 years. Jefferson came to Mansfield as a teacher, back in 1976, and has held various roles in the district over the years - including head football and track coach. Stan was born in Dayton and holds degrees from the Ohio State University and Bowling Green State University. Jefferson spent time coaching football at Ohio State down in Columbus and Ashland University. Learn more about what is happening in the Mansfield City Schools, and more about Stan Jefferson, on the podcast.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
The CEO you should know, broughtto you by Roby Foster Miller Eric Insurance.
This week's CEO Stan Jefferson, Superintendentof the Mansfield City Schools. As
back to school time is just afew weeks away. Hard to believe we
say that, you know August arrivingand arriving in studio is the superintendent of
(00:24):
the Mansfield City Schools. It isgreat to see Stan Jefferson this morning.
Stan, thanks for coming in.Good morning, Good morning Aaron. I
really appreciate your time today. Iknow for you know kids, hey summer,
but Superintendent, that's a year roundwork schedule, right, yes it
is. It never stops. Butyou know what's funny is Stan, we're
gonna learn about the district this morning. The thing about you you love the
(00:48):
Mansfield City Schools. Because I knowyou and I talking before we even turned
the microphones on. I know justone thing you love is representing the school
district. Right Well, this iswhere I started my career, and Mansfield
City Schools has been so great toso many people, to not only to
myself, but as well as toaccountless thousands of students and staff members,
(01:15):
as well as to the Mansfield Schoolcommunity. So anytime when you have an
opportunity to pay forward, which Ifeel that I am a public servant,
and so as a public servant,I should service the school district that has
really allowed our students, our staff, and our school community to flourish and
(01:42):
grow. So I am thankful andI am grateful for the opportunity to work
in the Mansfield City Schools. Well, on this program we learn about organizations
and we're going to learn about theschool district this morning with the superintendent,
Stan Jefferson. How long have youbeen superintendent now, I know it's been
a little while. How many yearsnow in the role. This is the
(02:05):
fifth year that I've been superintendent.As you well know. You know,
I came to the Mansfield City Schoolsback in nineteen seventy six as a classroom
teacher, and I was a teacherand then of course a football coach and
track coach, and that went thatway, and then of course I then
eventually became a head track coach,probably about like a year later after I
(02:29):
had initially started, and then ofcourse still was coaching football and track.
Then of course, then in thespring of nineteen eighty nine, the Mansfield
City schools. At that point,Malabar High School was closed and we consolidated
with Mansfield Senior, and so Iremember walking down the hallways of the new
(02:54):
consolidated school and of course we wasover there at Mansfield Senior, and it
was just really interesting to see brownand orange varsity jackets and red and white
varsity jackets walking through the hallway andfall of nineteen eighty nine, but we
consolidated, and of course I wasstill teaching in the classroom, and then
(03:16):
of course I was the football coachworking over at Ashland University. I was
working with doctor Fred Martinelli at thatpoint, but I was still coaching track
here in the Mansfield City Schools.Had the opportunity to then become an administrative
intern, and so I became anadministrative intern at that point and then eventually
(03:42):
the assistant principal and was still coachingthat point football. And it was interesting
during those years. You know,we had a very competitive schedule during the
years of the nineties or we playeda number of great football teams. Maslin
was on that schedule in Sandusky andFremont, Barberton, Steubenville, Benedicting.
(04:05):
I would say that we did notshy away from good competition, and we
definitely won our fair share of thoseencounters. Then I was given the opportunity
to become the principal and we werein the process of building a new school,
(04:26):
a new high school, which isthe building that you see now at
one twenty four North London Road.And it was a new concept, not
just from the architectural design of thebuilding, but from the academic in which
we was looking at career pathways andcareer academies. And so I find it
(04:47):
very interesting when we look today andwe see where the Ohio Department of Education
have become the Department of Education andWorkforce, and I think that the big
letter is the W a workforce.So you have the Department of Education,
which is dealing with the academic aspectof primary and secondary education, in the
(05:11):
workforce development, which is dealing withcareer options, career pathways as we look
for developing a workforce not only inthe great state of Ohio, but as
we move on outside of our communityor outside of Ohio. So we've been
(05:31):
very fortunate to have an outstanding directorof that program and the key of Fletcher,
which is a person that I reallybelieve that has really worked very diligently
and developing our college and career developmentprogram, and she's the director of our
College and Career Readiness And so wewant to be able to provide for our
(05:57):
students to address those four it ease. What are those four e's. Well,
some of us will upon graduation gointo enrollment. We're going to go
into a two year or four yearschool. Some of us will go into
enlistment and go and fight for thegreatest military unit in the world, United
(06:20):
States Armed Forces. Some of uswill do employment in which we want to
provide skill trade for our students.So we have welding programs, we have
health tech, we have cosmetology,we have construction, we have machine trades,
automotive to develop and get our kidsthose opportunities. And then finally,
(06:46):
the other E is entrepreneurship. Somepeople may want to end up being sole
entrepreneurs and develop their own business andso forth. And so as we look
at this new Department of Education andWorkforce, we must make sure that our
(07:08):
students as they are going through theirformative years and they get in and then
hit middle school and high school,that they can start looking and start inquiring
about which E. Do they wantto travel? Which one of those pathways?
Is it enrollment? Is an enlistment? Is it entrepreneurship? Is it
(07:29):
employment? Which? E? Isthat terrific conversation this morning you were hearing
from the superintendent of the Mansfield CitySchool Stan Jefferson. Lots of great things
happening in the district. Hard tobelieve by the way that building still looks
to me new. The high school, you know what, twenty years old
or more right, twenty years old, hard to believe looks you guys have
done a great job. And we'lltalk about facilities and a bit. Let's
(07:54):
step back, stand and talk abit. How long has the district in
general been around you you think aboutyou know, you mentioned consolidating and things
like that, but the school districtAmansil has been around a long time.
It's been around approximately somewhere around Iwould say, two hundred years and various
names that it may have been called. I am so proud to be able
to say that. You know,we are the Mansfield City Schools and ty
(08:18):
Pride city wide. So you know, once again, approximately that long.
How many students right now? Iknow you're getting ready to head back to
school, ballpark the district. Howmany kids we talking about? I would
say approximately pre K to grade twelve, maybe about approximately around thirty two hundred.
Now what about staff. I know, when you think about teachers and
everybody that makes a run on adaily basis, that's a good amount of
(08:41):
people. How many employees does thedistrict have? I would say maybe we
are close to approximing around six hundreda total staff, and both for the
esp as well as our teaching staff. So that includes everybody from food service,
to classroom teachers, to transportation technologyand so forth. So approximately I
(09:03):
say around about six hundred people.Stan Jefferson, Superintendent of the Mansfield City
Schools, with us in studio thisweek's CEO. You should know you brought
up transportation to me. It kindof felt right around the pandemic timeline.
But everybody seems to be in needof bus drivers, right, People,
Aaron really need to realize that ourtransportation department in every school district, it's
(09:31):
critical those individuals, those men andwomen, those drivers have a very difficult
job in terms of the aspect oftransportation. And of course when the pandemic
occurred, it really put a hurtin for all districts to some degree and
trying to get drivers for transportation.And so we value our people who work
(09:54):
in our district, and we shouldvalue those drivers every where because they are
crucial to the operation of a schooldistrict. Now you think about going to
school on a daily basis, athleticactivities, all those extracurricular activities, right,
those bus drivers are always so important, as somebody would say, from
(10:15):
getting to point A to point B, right, absolutely, And so we
want to make sure that we shownumber one, our appreciation to that department.
We want to show our appreciation tothose who are in charge of that
department. So from the director ofthat department to every driver, every busaid,
(10:37):
every mechanic, we want to saythank you for what they do.
Terrific conversation this morning with Stan Jefferson. That's the familiar voice you hear.
He is the superintendent of the MansfieldCity Schools. All right, so back
to the district. How many buildingsin total? I know you told me
there's some different maybe students moving todifferent buildings. How many buildings in total
(11:00):
do you have right now? Well, I would say that we probably have
about six buildings. You know,once again you know, our middle school
and high school are in the samebuilding, Woodland Elementary and of course Malabar
and john Sherman and spring Mill Stemand we have hedges. So you know,
once again I remember today when Ifirst came to Mansfield. You know,
(11:26):
we had thirteen elementaries and so forth. But you know, one of
the things that we are finding outacross now only in Ohio, but across
the nation is that financially in termsof how can you be efficient cost efficient
for your school district? And soit's not how many I just read in
(11:50):
the newspaper where the Columbus City Schoolsit has to close nine school buildings and
so they have identified nine school buildings. Is read in the paper where Akron
Public Schools and Cleveland Public Schools aredoing cuts because once again there is a
to some degree a shrinking enrollment,okay, and so if enrollment or declining
(12:16):
enrollment is occurring, that has adirect impact on whether or not buildings are
open or buildings and how many buildingsthat you have and so forth. So
I think that the big thing isto look at how can you get as
much effective efficiency out of your buildingwith programs and students. We are talking
(12:39):
with Mansfield City School Superintendent Stan Jeffersonthis morning. This week's CEO you should
know. All right, let's stepaway from work to find out a little
bit more about you. You mentionedyou came to Mansfield in what nineteen seventy
six, correct, nineteen seventy six, so people may not know if you
would share with us. Where wasStan Jefferson. I was born in Dayton,
(13:01):
Ohio, and I had went toValue Vue High School in Dayton.
Then of course received my undergraduate degreefrom the Ohio State University and then graduate
degree from Bowling Green State University.It was just so interesting when I came
to Mansfield when I look at ourfacilities that we have. Many of the
(13:26):
facilities that are here now were herethen, but there were facilities that were
not here, Like our soccer complexwas not at that location because it wasn't
soccer at that particular time. Soto see the growth of where we are
at from a facilities which is unmatchedin terms of what we try to provide
(13:50):
for our students and for the useof our school community. But I was
very fortunate during that time while Iwas at Malabar to see that growth that
was occurring not only at Malabar,but over at Mansfield Senior and throughout the
city itself. Stan, did youteach anywhere else before you came to Mansfield
(14:13):
after college? No, I wasin business here for a while for about
two years, because at that timethere was a the country was going through
a little bit of some hard timesfrom the time I graduated with the embargo
that had occurred, and so,but I was in business and then and
it was hard just to find ateaching job. I was able to came
(14:37):
up here for an interview and routegoing from the interview the home. Of
course, there wasn't any cell phonesback then. I get a telephone call
on a landline that I had gottenthe job, and I turned right around
and came right back up and waslooking for housing to live in Mansfield.
So it's just been, like Isaid before, it just been a fascinating,
(15:01):
fascinating experience, and it has beenonce again. I am very thankful
to the Mansfield community for all theyhave done for not only for our school
system, but what they had donepersonally for myself. Chatting with the superintendent
of the Mansfield City Schools for afew more minutes, this week's CEO.
(15:22):
You should know is Stan Jefferson,who is with us in studio. Did
you ever think, you know,growing up going to college teacher, did
you ever think you would be asuperintendent one day? Would you ever actually
think about that and then maybe howthe idea kind of came to be when
you became superintendent? No, Iyou know, once again, you know,
I was in coaching for forty oneyears, and during the process of
(15:43):
teaching, coaching, administration and soforth, you know, you start as
you are going through those transitions,you start then started looking at other avenues
that could be possibility. And soI think that when I started getting into
administration and starting as an assistant principal, that you started looking at, well,
(16:10):
you know, where could this leadsyou? Okay? And you know,
you got to remember at one pointthen I had left here and spent
thirteen years down at the Ohio Stateand I was in athletic administration during that
point in terms of being affiliated withthe football program and in an administrative capacity.
(16:32):
So you start looking at where couldthis eventually lead you? And at
that point is when I started realizingthat this is something that as a CEO,
you know, you need effective CEOsof any organization, whether it is
a school district or whether it isa business or whether it is a corporate
(16:56):
five hundred company, that you needeffective seed and so and other effective leaders
in the organization. So that's whenI realized that this is something that I
definitely wanted to do, and Imean just very fortunate. Now you think
about, you know, running aschool district, it's like running a big
(17:17):
business. Think about all that youhave students, you have teachers, you
have staff, you have facilities,right stan you think about it, that's
a lot to oversee. But whatI hear from a lot of superintendent's business
owners, it's about having a goodteam in place, right, And that
is I think that very very importantbecause at the end of the day,
it's no more different than of coaching. You are the success of your team.
(17:45):
And so it takes a team approach. And so when everybody had to
realize when you look at those lettersteam, it really stands for together,
everyone achieves more. Together, everyoneachieves more. And thus that's the word
team. So I'm all about team, okay, And so that's how we
(18:08):
effectively can overcome and build. Whenyou look at the success of whether it's
an athletic team or where you lookat the success of winning a championship involves
a total team approach. I rememberthe year that we won the national championship
(18:29):
at Ohio State against Oregon, andwhen we look at it, yes,
did we have some great players,Yes we did, but we had to
look at the fact that we wereplaying with our third quarterback. Our third
quarterback was just as efficient here becauseeveryone was behind that quarterback as we were
going to play Oregon for that nationalchampionship. So it is important that together
(18:56):
everyone achieves more. Yeah, terrific, terrific, well said, and everybody
remembers Cardill Jones, that Ohio Stateteam and Stan Jefferson with us again a
couple more minutes. We'll let himgo. Superintendent Mansfeld City Schools this week's
CEO. You should know you spenttime at Ohio State. You spent time
you mentioned at Ashland University. AUS facilities are just incredible right now,
(19:17):
indoor athletic facility and everything, thatfootball stadium just really that's Division two,
but that's Division one, is itnot? When you look at facilities,
their facilities at Ashland University is byfar state of the art. It is
as good as good can get.And I spent during the course of my
(19:37):
years over there. I spent elevenyears at Ashland University coaching with doctor Martinelli,
and we did not have facilities ofthat nature. We were grateful for
the facilities that we had and weworked to make those the best facilities,
and during the course of that timewe played for a lot of conference championships
(20:00):
and we won during those years alot of conference championship. But the facilities
that Ashland has now not just forfootball. You look for the track and
field facilities, their indoor facilities andso forth. Those facilities are absolutely state
of the art facilities here and cancompete with anyone. Stan Jefferson, Before
(20:22):
I let you go real quick,we found out you're from Dayton and I
didn't know married kids. Tell usa little more about standing the family.
Well, yeah, once again,my wife works in the Mansfield City Schools
and we have it was very funny. I've been very fortunate during the course
(20:44):
of that time too. She hasbeen part of this crazy journey that especially
if you are in the for thoseof us who been in the coaching world,
things can get, you know,very interesting. In the coaching world.
But once again she took a pathand which came from the business world
into the education world and has wentthrough the various stages throughout the district and
(21:11):
various different jobs and so forth withinthe district. So I am very fortunate
to be able to work a jobin which you can share out things that
happen on a day to day basisand vice versa. Well, stand before
I let you go back to school, time is approaching for the Mansfield City
(21:33):
schools and you're going to have anevent for the high school kids with the
Peace on my block, and we'regoing to have you back in for another
chat about that, but that'll becoming up in a few weeks in August.
Right. Yes, the piece ofmy block will be a grades nine
through twelve. You know when wehad the last one that was a K
eight at arln Field. And Iwant to again thank Tom Hager and that
whole team, and Jacob Owens,the whole team, John Beasley Andrea Morier,
(22:00):
all the group of that steering committee, all of our community partners,
the greater Mansfield community that was involvedin this here, the minister or Alliance
Churches that was involved in this.I can't think enough in terms of that.
However, we are going to nowhave a nine through twelve on August
the thirteenth. It will not beat Arland Field. It will be at
(22:23):
Senior High in which we'll be usingthe comments in the gymnasium and probably maybe
some aspect of the auditorium and soforth. More information is to come.
Won't have fireworks in the building likewe did at Arland Field, but it
would be really some great things tocontinue with our initiative, the peace on
(22:45):
my Block initiative that we have takenon to be able to resolve our conflicts
in a peaceful manner. Well,again, we'll have more on that in
the coming days and weeks here.But again that'll be August thirteenth. That
is a Tuesday at me It's FieldSenior High School. Again. Stan Jefferson
is with us this morning as Ilet you go. If they want more
information on the district any upcoming events, they can always go to Tigerpride dot
(23:10):
com. But you mentioned me eventhough it's summertime, there's still a lot
happening. Correct, Yes, weyou know obviously you know there's summer school
going on. We have various campsthat are happening either academically or athletically,
so you know that's always in thesummer. And then of course you know
(23:30):
the various sporting programs are trying toget ready with conditioning. They start getting
ready for August when they really wouldbe getting ready to start doing competition.
So we are really really looking forwardto the upcoming year and we just can't
wait for that. Aric awesome.Well, I know I got to let
you go. Last thing. Iwonder many people may wonder this CHOKEI Bradley,
(23:53):
you coached him, of course whenyou were the coach at at Mansfield
Senior, and now of course he'scame back, has done an unbelievable job,
winning his coach in school history.You know, multiple league titles,
they've played for a state title.Does Stan Jefferson ever send him a text
to any advice or let Chokey doesthe thing? How much do you guys
(24:15):
talk football? Well? I neveralways felt that I never would like to
interfere with coaches in their program.That's their program. And so I don't
want to be a person in whichsomeone says he's micromanaging me or trying to
tell me how to run my program. So I am very proud of the
(24:38):
work that Chokey has done. Obviouslyit speaks volumes for itself, but more
so than anything beyond all of thechampionships and so forth, is what he
does for his players. And whatyou see is he get them to their
next rite of passage. And thatwas what every coach at the end of
(25:00):
the day. Do I get themto their next right of passage? Do
I get them to their next ethat we started off at the very beginning
of this program, and Chokee doesan outstanding job of getting his players to
their next e in terms of wherethey're going to go next. And so
I am very happy and proud ofthe program that he has developed. Now
(25:26):
above and beyond all of the championshipsthat he has won and the things that
he has done for the Mansfeld communityin terms of that. So I just
think the utmost of his program.Yeah, he's terrific people. And I
guess I'll end with this. I'llget to go down on the field or
I'll go to a practice and youcan tell how much Chokee cares about the
(25:47):
kids you mentioned, you know,getting them maybe looked at by a college
for a scholarship, things like that. You mentioned the next level, but
you can just tell how much Chokeeloves the school, loves that program and
what he does for the kids becauseit's not just football season, it's year
round for him. I know withthe program absolutely. And that's what and
that's the costs. And I wantto share with you the final piece,
(26:08):
that's the cost of leadership. KirbySmart. I read an interesting article from
Kirby Smart, who is the headcoach at University of Georgia, who has
won in the last three years,two of the last three years a national
championship, and he said, there'sa cost to leadership. There is a
serious cost to leadership, and soyou have to be willing. Are you
(26:30):
willing to put that time in.Are you willing to go year round?
Are you willing to go through thesacrifices and see the highs and the lows
that goes with that? And sowhat Chokee has done, what our coaches
do, what Marquis Sikes has done, when you look at all of our
coaches who coach in our throughout ourdistrict, when you look at the work
(26:53):
that our drivers to transportation, ourfood service, our teachers pair of profession
are app man. There's a costthat goes with that leadership, and so
if you're not willing to give thatcost, then you shouldn't be in this
business. Terrific conversation learning all aboutthe Mansfield City Schools this morning with their
(27:17):
superintendent, Stan Jefferson. For moreinformation upcoming events, everything happening within the
district, visit their website at Tigerpridedot com. Well, Stan, it's
always great to have you back in. I can't believe back to school is
rolling toward us. Enjoy a couplemore weeks here of summer, and thanks
so much for coming in. Wewish you continued success. Thank you very
much Aaron for having me, andthank you very much to the Mansfield community.
(27:41):
Stan Jefferson, Superintendent of the MansfieldCity Schools, t Y Prize City,
WY the CEO you should know.Read a bio, see a photo,
and here the extended interview at WMAn FM dot com. This is
John Roby of rf ME Insurance.It is said that a good leader sets
the bar high because he or shewants to reach goals and make the best
(28:03):
of their teams. We are proudto introduce you to some of the community's
leaders on the CEO series,
The CEO you should know, broughtto you by Roby Foster Miller Eric Insurance.
This week's CEO Stan Jefferson, Superintendentof the Mansfield City Schools. As
back to school time is just afew weeks away. Hard to believe we
say that, you know August arrivingand arriving in studio is the superintendent of
(00:24):
the Mansfield City Schools. It isgreat to see Stan Jefferson this morning.
Stan, thanks for coming in.Good morning, Good morning Aaron. I
really appreciate your time today. Iknow for you know kids, hey summer,
but Superintendent, that's a year roundwork schedule, right, yes it
is. It never stops. Butyou know what's funny is Stan, we're
gonna learn about the district this morning. The thing about you you love the
(00:48):
Mansfield City Schools. Because I knowyou and I talking before we even turned
the microphones on. I know justone thing you love is representing the school
district. Right Well, this iswhere I started my career, and Mansfield
City Schools has been so great toso many people, to not only to
myself, but as well as toaccountless thousands of students and staff members,
(01:15):
as well as to the Mansfield Schoolcommunity. So anytime when you have an
opportunity to pay forward, which Ifeel that I am a public servant,
and so as a public servant,I should service the school district that has
really allowed our students, our staff, and our school community to flourish and
(01:42):
grow. So I am thankful andI am grateful for the opportunity to work
in the Mansfield City Schools. Well, on this program we learn about organizations
and we're going to learn about theschool district this morning with the superintendent,
Stan Jefferson. How long have youbeen superintendent now, I know it's been
a little while. How many yearsnow in the role. This is the
(02:05):
fifth year that I've been superintendent.As you well know. You know,
I came to the Mansfield City Schoolsback in nineteen seventy six as a classroom
teacher, and I was a teacherand then of course a football coach and
track coach, and that went thatway, and then of course I then
eventually became a head track coach,probably about like a year later after I
(02:29):
had initially started, and then ofcourse still was coaching football and track.
Then of course, then in thespring of nineteen eighty nine, the Mansfield
City schools. At that point,Malabar High School was closed and we consolidated
with Mansfield Senior, and so Iremember walking down the hallways of the new
(02:54):
consolidated school and of course we wasover there at Mansfield Senior, and it
was just really interesting to see brownand orange varsity jackets and red and white
varsity jackets walking through the hallway andfall of nineteen eighty nine, but we
consolidated, and of course I wasstill teaching in the classroom, and then
(03:16):
of course I was the football coachworking over at Ashland University. I was
working with doctor Fred Martinelli at thatpoint, but I was still coaching track
here in the Mansfield City Schools.Had the opportunity to then become an administrative
intern, and so I became anadministrative intern at that point and then eventually
(03:42):
the assistant principal and was still coachingthat point football. And it was interesting
during those years. You know,we had a very competitive schedule during the
years of the nineties or we playeda number of great football teams. Maslin
was on that schedule in Sandusky andFremont, Barberton, Steubenville, Benedicting.
(04:05):
I would say that we did notshy away from good competition, and we
definitely won our fair share of thoseencounters. Then I was given the opportunity
to become the principal and we werein the process of building a new school,
(04:26):
a new high school, which isthe building that you see now at
one twenty four North London Road.And it was a new concept, not
just from the architectural design of thebuilding, but from the academic in which
we was looking at career pathways andcareer academies. And so I find it
(04:47):
very interesting when we look today andwe see where the Ohio Department of Education
have become the Department of Education andWorkforce, and I think that the big
letter is the W a workforce.So you have the Department of Education,
which is dealing with the academic aspectof primary and secondary education, in the
(05:11):
workforce development, which is dealing withcareer options, career pathways as we look
for developing a workforce not only inthe great state of Ohio, but as
we move on outside of our communityor outside of Ohio. So we've been
(05:31):
very fortunate to have an outstanding directorof that program and the key of Fletcher,
which is a person that I reallybelieve that has really worked very diligently
and developing our college and career developmentprogram, and she's the director of our
College and Career Readiness And so wewant to be able to provide for our
(05:57):
students to address those four it ease. What are those four e's. Well,
some of us will upon graduation gointo enrollment. We're going to go
into a two year or four yearschool. Some of us will go into
enlistment and go and fight for thegreatest military unit in the world, United
(06:20):
States Armed Forces. Some of uswill do employment in which we want to
provide skill trade for our students.So we have welding programs, we have
health tech, we have cosmetology,we have construction, we have machine trades,
automotive to develop and get our kidsthose opportunities. And then finally,
(06:46):
the other E is entrepreneurship. Somepeople may want to end up being sole
entrepreneurs and develop their own business andso forth. And so as we look
at this new Department of Education andWorkforce, we must make sure that our
(07:08):
students as they are going through theirformative years and they get in and then
hit middle school and high school,that they can start looking and start inquiring
about which E. Do they wantto travel? Which one of those pathways?
Is it enrollment? Is an enlistment? Is it entrepreneurship? Is it
(07:29):
employment? Which? E? Isthat terrific conversation this morning you were hearing
from the superintendent of the Mansfield CitySchool Stan Jefferson. Lots of great things
happening in the district. Hard tobelieve by the way that building still looks
to me new. The high school, you know what, twenty years old
or more right, twenty years old, hard to believe looks you guys have
done a great job. And we'lltalk about facilities and a bit. Let's
(07:54):
step back, stand and talk abit. How long has the district in
general been around you you think aboutyou know, you mentioned consolidating and things
like that, but the school districtAmansil has been around a long time.
It's been around approximately somewhere around Iwould say, two hundred years and various
names that it may have been called. I am so proud to be able
to say that. You know,we are the Mansfield City Schools and ty
(08:18):
Pride city wide. So you know, once again, approximately that long.
How many students right now? Iknow you're getting ready to head back to
school, ballpark the district. Howmany kids we talking about? I would
say approximately pre K to grade twelve, maybe about approximately around thirty two hundred.
Now what about staff. I know, when you think about teachers and
everybody that makes a run on adaily basis, that's a good amount of
(08:41):
people. How many employees does thedistrict have? I would say maybe we
are close to approximing around six hundreda total staff, and both for the
esp as well as our teaching staff. So that includes everybody from food service,
to classroom teachers, to transportation technologyand so forth. So approximately I
(09:03):
say around about six hundred people.Stan Jefferson, Superintendent of the Mansfield City
Schools, with us in studio thisweek's CEO. You should know you brought
up transportation to me. It kindof felt right around the pandemic timeline.
But everybody seems to be in needof bus drivers, right, People,
Aaron really need to realize that ourtransportation department in every school district, it's
(09:31):
critical those individuals, those men andwomen, those drivers have a very difficult
job in terms of the aspect oftransportation. And of course when the pandemic
occurred, it really put a hurtin for all districts to some degree and
trying to get drivers for transportation.And so we value our people who work
(09:54):
in our district, and we shouldvalue those drivers every where because they are
crucial to the operation of a schooldistrict. Now you think about going to
school on a daily basis, athleticactivities, all those extracurricular activities, right,
those bus drivers are always so important, as somebody would say, from
(10:15):
getting to point A to point B, right, absolutely, And so we
want to make sure that we shownumber one, our appreciation to that department.
We want to show our appreciation tothose who are in charge of that
department. So from the director ofthat department to every driver, every busaid,
(10:37):
every mechanic, we want to saythank you for what they do.
Terrific conversation this morning with Stan Jefferson. That's the familiar voice you hear.
He is the superintendent of the MansfieldCity Schools. All right, so back
to the district. How many buildingsin total? I know you told me
there's some different maybe students moving todifferent buildings. How many buildings in total
(11:00):
do you have right now? Well, I would say that we probably have
about six buildings. You know,once again you know, our middle school
and high school are in the samebuilding, Woodland Elementary and of course Malabar
and john Sherman and spring Mill Stemand we have hedges. So you know,
once again I remember today when Ifirst came to Mansfield. You know,
(11:26):
we had thirteen elementaries and so forth. But you know, one of
the things that we are finding outacross now only in Ohio, but across
the nation is that financially in termsof how can you be efficient cost efficient
for your school district? And soit's not how many I just read in
(11:50):
the newspaper where the Columbus City Schoolsit has to close nine school buildings and
so they have identified nine school buildings. Is read in the paper where Akron
Public Schools and Cleveland Public Schools aredoing cuts because once again there is a
to some degree a shrinking enrollment,okay, and so if enrollment or declining
(12:16):
enrollment is occurring, that has adirect impact on whether or not buildings are
open or buildings and how many buildingsthat you have and so forth. So
I think that the big thing isto look at how can you get as
much effective efficiency out of your buildingwith programs and students. We are talking
(12:39):
with Mansfield City School Superintendent Stan Jeffersonthis morning. This week's CEO you should
know. All right, let's stepaway from work to find out a little
bit more about you. You mentionedyou came to Mansfield in what nineteen seventy
six, correct, nineteen seventy six, so people may not know if you
would share with us. Where wasStan Jefferson. I was born in Dayton,
(13:01):
Ohio, and I had went toValue Vue High School in Dayton.
Then of course received my undergraduate degreefrom the Ohio State University and then graduate
degree from Bowling Green State University.It was just so interesting when I came
to Mansfield when I look at ourfacilities that we have. Many of the
(13:26):
facilities that are here now were herethen, but there were facilities that were
not here, Like our soccer complexwas not at that location because it wasn't
soccer at that particular time. Soto see the growth of where we are
at from a facilities which is unmatchedin terms of what we try to provide
(13:50):
for our students and for the useof our school community. But I was
very fortunate during that time while Iwas at Malabar to see that growth that
was occurring not only at Malabar,but over at Mansfield Senior and throughout the
city itself. Stan, did youteach anywhere else before you came to Mansfield
(14:13):
after college? No, I wasin business here for a while for about
two years, because at that timethere was a the country was going through
a little bit of some hard timesfrom the time I graduated with the embargo
that had occurred, and so,but I was in business and then and
it was hard just to find ateaching job. I was able to came
(14:37):
up here for an interview and routegoing from the interview the home. Of
course, there wasn't any cell phonesback then. I get a telephone call
on a landline that I had gottenthe job, and I turned right around
and came right back up and waslooking for housing to live in Mansfield.
So it's just been, like Isaid before, it just been a fascinating,
(15:01):
fascinating experience, and it has beenonce again. I am very thankful
to the Mansfield community for all theyhave done for not only for our school
system, but what they had donepersonally for myself. Chatting with the superintendent
of the Mansfield City Schools for afew more minutes, this week's CEO.
(15:22):
You should know is Stan Jefferson,who is with us in studio. Did
you ever think, you know,growing up going to college teacher, did
you ever think you would be asuperintendent one day? Would you ever actually
think about that and then maybe howthe idea kind of came to be when
you became superintendent? No, Iyou know, once again, you know,
I was in coaching for forty oneyears, and during the process of
(15:43):
teaching, coaching, administration and soforth, you know, you start as
you are going through those transitions,you start then started looking at other avenues
that could be possibility. And soI think that when I started getting into
administration and starting as an assistant principal, that you started looking at, well,
(16:10):
you know, where could this leadsyou? Okay? And you know,
you got to remember at one pointthen I had left here and spent
thirteen years down at the Ohio Stateand I was in athletic administration during that
point in terms of being affiliated withthe football program and in an administrative capacity.
(16:32):
So you start looking at where couldthis eventually lead you? And at
that point is when I started realizingthat this is something that as a CEO,
you know, you need effective CEOsof any organization, whether it is
a school district or whether it isa business or whether it is a corporate
(16:56):
five hundred company, that you needeffective seed and so and other effective leaders
in the organization. So that's whenI realized that this is something that I
definitely wanted to do, and Imean just very fortunate. Now you think
about, you know, running aschool district, it's like running a big
(17:17):
business. Think about all that youhave students, you have teachers, you
have staff, you have facilities,right stan you think about it, that's
a lot to oversee. But whatI hear from a lot of superintendent's business
owners, it's about having a goodteam in place, right, And that
is I think that very very importantbecause at the end of the day,
it's no more different than of coaching. You are the success of your team.
(17:45):
And so it takes a team approach. And so when everybody had to
realize when you look at those lettersteam, it really stands for together,
everyone achieves more. Together, everyoneachieves more. And thus that's the word
team. So I'm all about team, okay, And so that's how we
(18:08):
effectively can overcome and build. Whenyou look at the success of whether it's
an athletic team or where you lookat the success of winning a championship involves
a total team approach. I rememberthe year that we won the national championship
(18:29):
at Ohio State against Oregon, andwhen we look at it, yes,
did we have some great players,Yes we did, but we had to
look at the fact that we wereplaying with our third quarterback. Our third
quarterback was just as efficient here becauseeveryone was behind that quarterback as we were
going to play Oregon for that nationalchampionship. So it is important that together
(18:56):
everyone achieves more. Yeah, terrific, terrific, well said, and everybody
remembers Cardill Jones, that Ohio Stateteam and Stan Jefferson with us again a
couple more minutes. We'll let himgo. Superintendent Mansfeld City Schools this week's
CEO. You should know you spenttime at Ohio State. You spent time
you mentioned at Ashland University. AUS facilities are just incredible right now,
(19:17):
indoor athletic facility and everything, thatfootball stadium just really that's Division two,
but that's Division one, is itnot? When you look at facilities,
their facilities at Ashland University is byfar state of the art. It is
as good as good can get.And I spent during the course of my
(19:37):
years over there. I spent elevenyears at Ashland University coaching with doctor Martinelli,
and we did not have facilities ofthat nature. We were grateful for
the facilities that we had and weworked to make those the best facilities,
and during the course of that timewe played for a lot of conference championships
(20:00):
and we won during those years alot of conference championship. But the facilities
that Ashland has now not just forfootball. You look for the track and
field facilities, their indoor facilities andso forth. Those facilities are absolutely state
of the art facilities here and cancompete with anyone. Stan Jefferson, Before
(20:22):
I let you go real quick,we found out you're from Dayton and I
didn't know married kids. Tell usa little more about standing the family.
Well, yeah, once again,my wife works in the Mansfield City Schools
and we have it was very funny. I've been very fortunate during the course
(20:44):
of that time too. She hasbeen part of this crazy journey that especially
if you are in the for thoseof us who been in the coaching world,
things can get, you know,very interesting. In the coaching world.
But once again she took a pathand which came from the business world
into the education world and has wentthrough the various stages throughout the district and
(21:11):
various different jobs and so forth withinthe district. So I am very fortunate
to be able to work a jobin which you can share out things that
happen on a day to day basisand vice versa. Well, stand before
I let you go back to school, time is approaching for the Mansfield City
(21:33):
schools and you're going to have anevent for the high school kids with the
Peace on my block, and we'regoing to have you back in for another
chat about that, but that'll becoming up in a few weeks in August.
Right. Yes, the piece ofmy block will be a grades nine
through twelve. You know when wehad the last one that was a K
eight at arln Field. And Iwant to again thank Tom Hager and that
whole team, and Jacob Owens,the whole team, John Beasley Andrea Morier,
(22:00):
all the group of that steering committee, all of our community partners,
the greater Mansfield community that was involvedin this here, the minister or Alliance
Churches that was involved in this.I can't think enough in terms of that.
However, we are going to nowhave a nine through twelve on August
the thirteenth. It will not beat Arland Field. It will be at
(22:23):
Senior High in which we'll be usingthe comments in the gymnasium and probably maybe
some aspect of the auditorium and soforth. More information is to come.
Won't have fireworks in the building likewe did at Arland Field, but it
would be really some great things tocontinue with our initiative, the peace on
(22:45):
my Block initiative that we have takenon to be able to resolve our conflicts
in a peaceful manner. Well,again, we'll have more on that in
the coming days and weeks here.But again that'll be August thirteenth. That
is a Tuesday at me It's FieldSenior High School. Again. Stan Jefferson
is with us this morning as Ilet you go. If they want more
information on the district any upcoming events, they can always go to Tigerpride dot
(23:10):
com. But you mentioned me eventhough it's summertime, there's still a lot
happening. Correct, Yes, weyou know obviously you know there's summer school
going on. We have various campsthat are happening either academically or athletically,
so you know that's always in thesummer. And then of course you know
(23:30):
the various sporting programs are trying toget ready with conditioning. They start getting
ready for August when they really wouldbe getting ready to start doing competition.
So we are really really looking forwardto the upcoming year and we just can't
wait for that. Aric awesome.Well, I know I got to let
you go. Last thing. Iwonder many people may wonder this CHOKEI Bradley,
(23:53):
you coached him, of course whenyou were the coach at at Mansfield
Senior, and now of course he'scame back, has done an unbelievable job,
winning his coach in school history.You know, multiple league titles,
they've played for a state title.Does Stan Jefferson ever send him a text
to any advice or let Chokey doesthe thing? How much do you guys
(24:15):
talk football? Well? I neveralways felt that I never would like to
interfere with coaches in their program.That's their program. And so I don't
want to be a person in whichsomeone says he's micromanaging me or trying to
tell me how to run my program. So I am very proud of the
(24:38):
work that Chokey has done. Obviouslyit speaks volumes for itself, but more
so than anything beyond all of thechampionships and so forth, is what he
does for his players. And whatyou see is he get them to their
next rite of passage. And thatwas what every coach at the end of
(25:00):
the day. Do I get themto their next right of passage? Do
I get them to their next ethat we started off at the very beginning
of this program, and Chokee doesan outstanding job of getting his players to
their next e in terms of wherethey're going to go next. And so
I am very happy and proud ofthe program that he has developed. Now
(25:26):
above and beyond all of the championshipsthat he has won and the things that
he has done for the Mansfeld communityin terms of that. So I just
think the utmost of his program.Yeah, he's terrific people. And I
guess I'll end with this. I'llget to go down on the field or
I'll go to a practice and youcan tell how much Chokee cares about the
(25:47):
kids you mentioned, you know,getting them maybe looked at by a college
for a scholarship, things like that. You mentioned the next level, but
you can just tell how much Chokeeloves the school, loves that program and
what he does for the kids becauseit's not just football season, it's year
round for him. I know withthe program absolutely. And that's what and
that's the costs. And I wantto share with you the final piece,
(26:08):
that's the cost of leadership. KirbySmart. I read an interesting article from
Kirby Smart, who is the headcoach at University of Georgia, who has
won in the last three years,two of the last three years a national
championship, and he said, there'sa cost to leadership. There is a
serious cost to leadership, and soyou have to be willing. Are you
(26:30):
willing to put that time in.Are you willing to go year round?
Are you willing to go through thesacrifices and see the highs and the lows
that goes with that? And sowhat Chokee has done, what our coaches
do, what Marquis Sikes has done, when you look at all of our
coaches who coach in our throughout ourdistrict, when you look at the work
(26:53):
that our drivers to transportation, ourfood service, our teachers pair of profession
are app man. There's a costthat goes with that leadership, and so
if you're not willing to give thatcost, then you shouldn't be in this
business. Terrific conversation learning all aboutthe Mansfield City Schools this morning with their
(27:17):
superintendent, Stan Jefferson. For moreinformation upcoming events, everything happening within the
district, visit their website at Tigerpridedot com. Well, Stan, it's
always great to have you back in. I can't believe back to school is
rolling toward us. Enjoy a couplemore weeks here of summer, and thanks
so much for coming in. Wewish you continued success. Thank you very
much Aaron for having me, andthank you very much to the Mansfield community.
(27:41):
Stan Jefferson, Superintendent of the MansfieldCity Schools, t Y Prize City,
WY the CEO you should know.Read a bio, see a photo,
and here the extended interview at WMAn FM dot com. This is
John Roby of rf ME Insurance.It is said that a good leader sets
the bar high because he or shewants to reach goals and make the best
(28:03):
of their teams. We are proudto introduce you to some of the community's
leaders on the CEO series,
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