Jerry Necastro
Jerry Necastro said a school superintendent’s first couple of years are very important in setting the foundation of the official’s tenure. That’s one of the reasons he wanted to rejoin the Brookfield Board of Education, Nescastro said after the board appointed him on Dec. 11 to fill a vacancy.
“I’m a big supporter of Toby Gibson,” Necastro said of the Brookfield superintendent, who took over Aug. 1. Necastro coached football under Gibson.
The board voted 4-0 in favor of Necastro, although board member Ron Brennan had hoped to abstain, something board President Ronda Bonekovic said he was not allowed to do. Bonekovic said she had conferred with the board’s attorney, who told her board members could not abstain from a motion for an appointment.
Brennan said he did not participate in candidate interviews because he is leaving the board at the end of the month, when his term expires, and believes that those who will work with the new board member should choose that person.
“I concur,” said board member Tim Filipovich, who will leave the board the same time as Brennan and also did not participate in interviews.
Other candidates who applied and were interviewed were Mark Ferrara, Nikki Jervis, Shannon Devitz and Eric Ashman, Bonekovic said.
“It was a hard decision,” Bonekovic said. “There were some really good candidates.”
The board announced Dec. 2 that Kelly Carrier had resigned in the middle of her term because she had moved from the district.
Necastro served one term on the board about 15 years ago.
“Being that I have experience on the board, I don’t have to get my feet wet,” he said.
The vice president of Ohio Foam Co. said Brookfield has a great administration and staff, and he wants to support their efforts in any way he can.
“I’m not a micromanager,” said Necastro, 60.
Necastro said he is a supporter of Brookfield’s academic and extracurricular programs.
“I think our students are getting a quality education here,” he said.
He added that he wants to highlight the positive things that are going on at Brookfield schools.
“I think, at times, Brookfield doesn’t get its proper due,” he said.
Necastro will serve the remainder of Carrier’s term, which ends Dec. 31, 2021. Necastro said he does not know if he will run for the seat on his own.
Necastro’s daughter, Miriam, teaches middle school English at Brookfield.
Also Dec. 11, the board accepted the resignation of Treasurer Craig Yaniglos, whose last day will be Jan. 31.
