Superintendent Mary B. Outley will deliver her first State of the Akron Public Schools speech at an Akron Press Club luncheon Tuesday, February 10, 2026.
There will be the opportunity for questions during the program.
Outley became superintendent in April 2025, after serving as interim superintendent. She has more than 34 years of service to Akron Public Schools as both a teacher and administrator.
Outley graduated in 1985 from Buchtel High School, and attended Hyre Middle, West Junior High and Barber Elementary. Her first teaching job was at Erie Island Elementary School. She later taught eighth grade at Perkins Middle and then became assistant principal at Hyre Middle before becoming principal of Crouse Elementary in 2002. In 2004, she became the executive director of elementary education, a role she had until being named interim superintendent.
The 20,000-student school system is facing a projected budget deficit and major building projects in Kenmore and North Hill, along with a series of budget and policy changes on the state and federal levels.
Proceeds from Akron Press Club events fund scholarships for journalism and public relations students. Last year the Press Club, in conjunction with the John S. Knight Memorial Journalism Fund, awarded nine scholarships of $5,000 each to college students. The Press Club also partnered with the Sojourner Truth Project to offer two scholarships of $5,000 each to graduating Akron Public Schools students who will study journalism. The Press Club sincerely thanks Summit County, Dr. Aileen Thong and Elizabeth Bartz for their donations to the scholarship fund.
Program: Akron Public Schools Superintendent Mary B. Outley.
Date: Tuesday, February 10, 2026.
Time: Doors open at 11 a.m. for buffet luncheon. Program begins at noon.
Place: Quaker Station, 135 S. Broadway, Akron, Ohio.
Cost: $35 per individual. $280 for table of 8.
REGISTER HERE
Or contact Emily Henthorn, Press Club administrator, at akronpressclub@gmail.com.
Check only accepted day of event.
Reservation deadline: Noon, Thursday, February 5, 2026.
Cancellations: Cancellation requests must be received no later than 48 hours before the event. After that time, there will be no refunds and an invoice will be issued for payment.
The Akron Press Club was founded in 1971 to promote a free press and serve local journalists and public relations professionals. The group has a rich heritage of offering newsmakers a forum to discuss issues of the day at Press Club luncheons and speaking events that are open to the public.