POLAND — Michael Daley was announced at a special Poland Board of Education meeting Monday as the district’s next superintendent, but he won’t assume the role until the 2027-28 school year.

In the meantime, the board approved a one-year contract extension for Tommelleo, who was one of three finalists for the superintendent’s job before the board decided last month to hire an internal candidate. One of the other finalists was Newton Falls Superintendent Andreas Johansson.

Daley is now the assistant principal at Poland Seminary High School. He has served in many roles since 2002, including as a teacher and principal for Dobbins Elementary. He will be the district’s first internal hire since Milan Pavlov in 1968.

Daley is a 1997 Struthers High School graduate. He went on to earn his Bachelor of Arts degree in education at Walsh University in 2001 and during the 2001-02 school year, he taught special education and alternative programming at the Mahoning County Educational Service Center.

Daley was hired by Poland Seminary to teach high school English for grades 10-12 inclusion classes, preparatory, and AP literature. He also coached baseball and basketball.

Daley attended Youngstown State University from 2002 to 2015 to earn his administrative and superintendent licenses. He became PSHS assistant principal in 2010, Dobbins Elementary principal in 2013, and then returned to PSHS in 2018 when Dobbins was closed.

When asked why he threw his hat in the ring for superintendent, Daley said it involved tradition.

“A tradition of excellence has come to define Poland Schools,” he said. “It highlights who we are and what we strive to achieve. By honoring our past and investing in the future, our leadership must uphold the responsibility of nurturing the next generation of thinkers and leaders who will only strengthen our community through the 21st century.”

He said leadership is something that is earned daily. It is not defined by a title, but by “the intentionality behind building systems that support students and empower educators,” he added.

“My work has centered on aligning instructional, operational and relational systems to ensure schools are responsive to the academic, social-emotional and safety needs of every student,” Daley said. “Across my career, I have led initiatives that directly reflect this commitment: expanding access to critical mental health services through outside partnerships, executing full-scale safety drills with federal and local agencies, and managing complex organizational transitions like building mergers and reconfigurations. I approach leadership by remaining open to new ideas, seeking to understand before seeking to be understood. I believe that long-term success depends on a sustained school culture. By prioritizing consistency over quick wins and balancing support with accountability, I strive to create an environment where every stakeholder feels valued, heard, and safe to innovate and test his/her own limits, not only meeting Poland’s traditional level of expectation but seeking to exceed it.”

Daley will spend the next school year working with present superintendent Dr. Andrew Tommelleo. The board approved a one-year extension of Tommelleo’s contract and Daley will take the helm in the 2027-28 school year.

His salary is not yet known and the board said it will be decided by a committee at a later date. For now, Daley will be paid a $5,000 stipend in addition to his assistant principal salary.

Also introduced at the special meeting on Monday was new high school athletic director Nick Blanch. He will replace retiring Brian Banfield who will be stepping down in June after nearly two decades at the athletic helm.

“I am excited for Nick to take over as athletic director and know he will continue to move Poland athletics forward in a first-class manner,” Banfield said.

Blanch is a 1997 PSHS graduate and a 2001 YSU graduate. He brings more than two decades of experience within the district. He has served as a teacher at Poland Local Schools since 2002 and has been the head girls basketball coach since 2009.

Blanch will assume his new role immediately, with a transition plan in place to ensure continued success across all athletic programs, the board said.

Blanch’s contract will be solidified in the coming months, but will be a three-year contract. The board also accepted the resignation of Blanch as a grades 5-8 technology teacher at the end of the 2025-26 school year, so he can fill the athletic director’s position on Aug. 1.