Youngstown City School District (YCSD) is thrilled to announce that after much consideration and community input, the new name for the consolidated Chaney and East high Schools and Chaney and East Middle Schools in the fall 2026 school year will be Youngstown Unified.
In May 2025, Youngstown City Schools announced the two-phase district reconfiguration plan, which will be implemented in the 2026-2027 school year. The plan involves combining two traditional high schools, Chaney and East, into one central high school located at the current East High School site. The district will also unite our two middle schools, Chaney and East Middle, into one campus housed at the current East Middle School site.
Youngstown Rayen Early College High School and Rayen Early College Middle School will remain operating. The goal is to house both schools in one building at the current Chaney High School site, beginning in the fall 2026 and fall 2027 school year.
Superintendent Jeremy Batchelor stated, " The creation of Youngstown Unified represents a visionary step forward for Youngstown City Schools. By unifying our schools, we optimize resources and infrastructure and create a more inclusive and comprehensive educational experience for our scholars. Youngstown Unified will be where every scholar has access to enhanced education programs, extracurricular activities, and modern facilities."
In preparation for this transition, the district has engaged with families, scholars, staff, and community members through board meetings and surveys. YCSD is now asking scholars, families, and the community to make the final selection of the new mascot via a survey available through Monday, June 30, 2025, https://forms.gle/1pZ6hiNPNutzpMe98.
The district remains committed to educational excellence while embracing innovation. The Unified experience will provide an environment where scholars can learn together, grow together, and prepare for success through college and career pathways.
The district will keep families and the public updated throughout the reconfiguration process. For more information about the reconfiguration, visit: https://bit.ly/YCSDReconfiguration.
*Note about the Phoenix mascot option: The Mahoning Valley Community School (MVCS), an independent educational institution located within the city limits of Youngstown, has adopted the Phoenix as its official mascot. As the Youngstown City School District (YCSD) continues its process of selecting a new mascot for the unified high school, we want to ensure our community clearly understands that MVCS and YCSD are two entirely separate educational entities.
If YCSD were to adopt the Phoenix as our mascot, we recognize that it could potentially cause confusion within the community, especially given the existing use of that symbol by MVCS. As we engage with our scholars, staff, and families in making this important decision, we are mindful of both the unique identity we are striving to build and the need to avoid any misrepresentation between institutions that serve different missions and student populations.
Our goal is to select a mascot that reflects the strength, resilience, and unity of Youngstown City Schools while maintaining a clear and distinct identity within the broader educational landscape of our city.