The December 10 Board of Education meeting provided an opportunity to recognize Board Members Mark Dobbins, Marie Scali Eder, and Stephanie Prause who completed their terms on the Board and did not seek reelection. Superintendent Matt Young named them recipients of the Staff Spotlight award for December.
Former Superintendent Tom Evans, who retired at the end of the 2023-2024 school year, offered his congratulations. “I want to take this opportunity to recognize your service to the students of Cuyahoga Heights Schools and your support of me as superintendent. The role of a Board Member is one of the most important but thankless in public service. Your support of me as superintendent, allowing me to put students first in my decision-making process can’t be thanked enough. As you leave the Board, please know that you helped guide Cuyahoga Heights schools through tumultuous times. You stayed the course and we were stronger than ever as a district. You never lost sight of our students as your top priority.”
“I hope you know the level of stability that you brought to the school district during your tenures,” added current superintendent Young. “You have provided steady, financial stewardship, you've championed comprehensive excellence for our students, and you have ensured that we never lost sight of putting people first. The Board navigated unprecedented challenges with grace and wisdom," he noted, in referring to the global pandemic in 2020-21. “You guided us through political uncertainty. You have always made critical decisions about resources, personnel, facilities, and priorities that put those people first. And through it all, you kept our district focused on our students and the relationships that support them. Cuyahoga Heights has consistently maintained a 5-star rating and recognition as a top 4 percent of districts statewide. And perhaps more importantly, you ensured that we continued to offer competitive, well-rounded educational experiences with a full spectrum of co-curricular activities for our students.” Your leadership was about steady, principled service that prioritized relationships, student achievement, and long-term sustainability. This is the legacy that you leave and that will continue to guide our district to new heights for years to come.”
Treasurer Matt Muccio also thanked the Board Members for their countless hours, careful decisions, and steady leadership in service to the students, staff, and community. “Your service has helped guide our district with integrity, care, and a strong commitment to students. You have been a joy to work with. I am grateful for your leadership and I will always value the time we worked side-by-side.”
Each outgoing member was presented a red art glass apple featuring the iconic Cuyahoga Heights Schools’ logo. Etched into the base was the member’s name and his or her years of service to the Board of Education.
Mark Dobbins
Dobbins served on the Board from October 2016 to December 2025. He served on the district's Finance Committees and worked on levy campaigns. Among his proudest accomplishments as a member of the Board was hiring Superintendent Matt Young to succeed Tom Evans, hiring Treasurer Matt Muccio, and recognizing some of the district's outstanding students and staff through Student of the Month and Staff Spotlight initiatives. He is also proud of learning about Ohio school funding principals and the need for new district funds. This led to working with a team to share that knowledge with district residents which resulted in the successful passage of a school levy in 2024.
Dobbins was employed as a bank examiner and attorney for 30 years prior to retiring in 2013. He earned an accounting degree in 1979 from Cleveland State University and a law degree in 1982 from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. He subsequently earned Ohio CPA and law licenses in 1982. In addition to serving as a member of the Board, Dobbins served for many years as treasurer of Brooklyn Heights Home Days, coached his children’s sports teams, and co-managed a village-sponsored bowling league with his wife, Pam. Mark is also a past treasurer of the CHHS Alumni Association.
Dobbins has been a resident of the Cuyahoga Heights School District for most of his life. He graduated from CHHS in 1975, following his brothers, Jim and Jeff. He and his wife, Pam, have two children, Michael and Stephen, who graduated from CHHS in 2006 and 2008 respectively.
Marie Scali Eder
A longtime resident of the Cuyahoga Heights Schools’ community, Eder joined the Board of Education in January 2018. During her two terms on the Board, she served as liaison to the Cuyahoga Valley Chamber of Commerce and Valley View Economic Development group, and was a member of the the Student Advisory Committee and Communications Forum.
Eder is most proud of working to obtain the very best for students – the best resources for curriculum; the best administrators, teachers and support staff; and the best and broadest variety of extra-curriculars, such as Mock Trial, Model UN, STEM, fine arts, visual arts, outstanding music program offerings, and athletic programs. She is also proud of improving communications to the district’s constituents, including weekly newsletters, and publications, such as Heights Highlights, which shares information about the district’s achievements and accomplishments.
Eder retired from WJW Fox8-Cleveland in 2016 after a 35-year career in broadcast journalism which also included working as a producer/director at WYTV-Youngstown and as an assignment desk assistant at WKYC TV3-Cleveland. She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Telecommunications from Kent State University. She and her husband, Michael, are the proud parents of two CHHS alumni. Anthony graduated in 2011 and Victoria in 2013.
Stephanie Prause
Prause was elected to the Board in November 2021 and is completing her four-year term. She regards her service as a meaningful way to give back to the community and is most proud of ensuring a strong public education for the district’s youngest citizens. She would like to be remembered for “putting students and staff first”. She is immensely grateful for the dedication and hard work of the district’s teachers and staff who inspire and educate students every day.
A proud member of the CHS community since 2011, Prause has a professional background in corporate communications and human resources. She currently works for a global manufacturing company based in Solon. She is the Girl Scout troop leader to 10 energetic Brownies and also enjoys attending her children’s dance shows and sporting events, reading, and traveling with her family.
Prause holds a Master of Arts Degree from The George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Miami University (Ohio). She and her husband Michael are the proud parents of two children who attend Cuyahoga Heights Schools.
Pictured left to right: Outgoing Board Members Maria Scali Eder, Mark Dobbins, and Stephanie Prause.