Castagna, in a statement released by his attorney, thanked the jurors. If we could do more things like this and have the community wrap around us and this problem. This is not a person who has actively been working to improve children's lives in the past three years," said Moon. Please enter valid email address to continue. First published on November 17, 2021 / 8:50 PM. Scott then welcomed Castagna to the district before the official vote was taken. "This isn't blowing over with me," said Tina Doose, a Braddock mother of seven children, three of whom have graduated from the district and three that are currently enrolled within it. The board voted 8 to 1 to terminate Harris without a cause after he came under criticism for his handling of fights at the high school. Please read the update below from Superintendent James Harris regarding Wednesday's incident at the high school. "It's detrimental. Woodland Hills Senior High School; Turtle Creek Elementary STEAM Academy; Edgewood Elementary STEAM Academy; Wilkins Elementary STEAM Academy; WH Online Academy; Dickson STEAM Academy; WHOC - Woodland Hills Opportunity Camp; School Board . Wednesday night's meeting got heated before the vote. You can update your choices at any time in your settings. I have cousins who are officers, I have cousins who are in law enforcement and in the judicial system. The board did not comment on the matter during the meeting, but in a statement issued after the vote, said: After much discussion, the board has opted to go in a different direction with district leadership. Messages: April 5th . We have a great faculty in place, and the students in our district are capable of delivering great things. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession. ", Prior to being fired from West Mifflin, Castagna was an assistant principal in the Baldwin-Whitehall School District from 2005 to 2007 and a teacher in the Hopewell Area School District from 1999 to 2005. Castagna was fired by West Mifflin school officials in 2019, and this past March, a federal jury ordered the district to pay him nearly $3 million the result of a lawsuit in which he accused the district of violating his First Amendment rights to political affiliation and free speech, violating the states whistleblower law and breaching its contract with him. It was the last meeting for three board members. In a letter to families, Harris apologized for giving incomplete information in the wake of that fight in what he called his attempt to be transparent. Athletics (opens in new window/tab) Buildings and Grounds; Business and Finance; Curriculum; Personnel . The Woodland Hills School District has officially appointed Dr. Daniel Castagna as thedistricts new superintendent. It is not . Q: How were you able to get staff, students and families on board? The Superintendent will be responsible for understanding each contract; developing professional relationships with the subcontractors and on-site staff and provide leadership from the start to finish of the project. During the process, Dr. Castagna earned the support of the majority of the board," board member Carlton Scott said in a district-issued release. Castagna will be the acting superintendent for one year or until a new superintendent is hired. I know his heart, I know his mind, and I know his ability." Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Castagna has served as the acting superintendent since Jan. 28. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. The average Job Superintendent salary in Woodland Hills, CA is $80,488 as of March 28, 2023, but the salary range typically falls between $67,946 and $92,869. Woodland Hills School District names Dr. Daniel Castagna as After a very long and hard-fought battle, I feel vindicated knowing that the jury saw through the school districts false allegations and found that I was the target of illegal retaliation, he said. The agreements were approved by the Woodland Hills School District Board of School Directors during their legislative meeting on January 18, 2023. It was a 15-month ordeal that ended in Castagna suing the district in federal court. "This is Indefensible." Castagna Voted In Against the Wishes of This follows a recent study by the Black Girls Equity Alliance noted that school police is the largest source of referrals for Black girls in Allegheny County and has an outsized role in criminalizing Black youth. When they bring that role of police into the building, it does create an environment that is a bit more tense than if they were not police, just by the nature of the role. Scott said at the beginning of the meeting that Castagna was chosen because he had experience working directly as a superintendent in a district similar to Woodland Hills. Patrick Varine is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Castagna argued that the West Mifflin school board's charges were political retaliation and filed lawsuits against the district and the board, with the retaliation lawsuit eventually being dismissed by a judge. Woodland Hills School District officials voted 8-1 in November 2021 to terminate the contract of Superintendent James Harris effective December 17. Jurors found the district guilty of violating Castagnas First Amendments rights of political affiliation and free speech, violating the Pennsylvania Whistleblower Law and breaching its contract with Castagna. I look forward to seeing our district succeed.. Woodland Hills School District names Dr. Daniel Castagna as superintendent When Walter Calinger was hired by Woodland Hills School District outside Pittsburgh, his claims of past accomplishment was discussed by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reporter Brian Bowling. Q: How has your background as a military police officer shaped the way you handle discipline at Woodland Hills? Our teachers are tired of it, our students are tired of it, our parents are most definitely tired of it," said one student. Scott stated that the candidates from within the school district were looked at but were not qualified since they did not have working experience as superintendents. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Suspended superintendent accused of knowingly hiring man being investigated for murder. Video shows principal holding a student's head while he's shocked with We have many wonderful programs for our students. Harris has come under fire recently for his handling of fights at the high school, including one involving as many as 50 or 60 students. Woodland Hills School District includes students from Braddock, Braddock Hills, Chalfant, Churchill, East Pittsburgh, Edgewood, Forest Hills, North Braddock, Rankin, Swissvale, Turtle Creek and Wilkins. Q: How long did Woodland Hills not have school police prior to shutting down because of COVID-19 in March? They questioned if he would have been pulled over for more than one instance of drunk driving if he had learned from his mistakes the first time. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Parents concerned Woodland Hills moving to hire new superintendent with checkered past. They awarded damages worth $2.95 million on Monday. Superintendent - Woodland Hills School District I think people will be very nervous if we just said, OK, were getting rid of the police, but didnt put any other supports in place. sas.call("std", { The Woodland Hills School District Welcomes Dr. Daniel Castagna as Interim Superintendent. Castagna's appointment carries a term of one year or until the district hires a new superintendent. During the process, Dr. Castagna earned the support of the majority of the board," said Scott. Q: How do you work to get beyond the belief some people have that students need police in schools? West Mifflin School District was ordered to pay the former superintendent $2.9 million after a federal judge ruled that his First Amendment rights were violated. We thank Mr. Harris for his service as the district superintendent and will work with him to ensure a smooth transition.. Woodland Hills Golf & Country Club is an 18-hole, 6390 yard, par 72 championship golf course and country club. What we did was instead of having police show up for something, we have mental health people, we have behavioral interventionists, we have principals, were all trained, teachers who are trained to de-escalate and talk to the students and community members, so that they do feel that theyre in a place of shelter. Now inspired by the journey, these kids hope to use this experience to make a change back in their own communities. West Mifflin accused Castagna of asking employees to complete private work on school district time and lying about his DUI history. From early learning to higher education, Sarah is interested in students and educators working to create more equitable systems. Students return to Woodland Hills High School with new rules - WPXI Woodland Hills Superintendent James Harris said he was shocked when he was asked to resign. "I look forward to working with the school board, administrators, teachers, staff, students and families so that together we can achieve excellence on every level. However, we have a terrible image problem. James Harris: The administrators who were there prior really relied on police intervention to help manage behavioral problems and discipline within the building. Dr. Phillip K. Woods - Superintendent - Aliquippa School District I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here so far and will continue to partner with our districts talented staff and dedicated community. Board member Robert Clanagan-Bey stated that he trusted that the four of his other eight board members were making the right decision, which is why he was voting yes despite not initially knowing much about Castagna. Many teachers, and I'll say many of the board members, have been that to my children and to the children of the district. A lot of people in the community are upset about it. Harris: The phased-out approach it showed not having a need. To my new Woodland Hills School District family, I hope this verdict allows us all to move forward together with the goal of creating opportunities for our students and multiple pathways to success, he said. PublishedNovember 17, 2021 at 9:53 PM EST. Dr. Daniel Castagna Superintendent Email: castda@whsd.us Superintendent Bio. The district's superintendent believes it's changed the school environment for the better, though he notes that it's crucial not just to remove police, but also to . JAMES P. HARRIS JR., the new superintendent of the Woodland Hills School District, fields questions from reporters after being sworn-in, Aug. Just over 24 hours after being asked for his resignation, the Woodland Hills School Board voted to terminate Superintendent James P. Harris's . Superintendents Bio. 0183. The board voted 8 to 1 to terminate James Harris without cause during a meeting on Wednesday. "If you all vote tonight to remove this great man, this great leader, you are making a bad decision, a real bad decision. That allowed us to act immediately Were looking at the data, which you have to gather, but my teamwe all sat down and said, OK, this is how we should adjust and adapt to our environment, and how we can offer supports.. So, for that I do apologize. Board President Jamie Glaser read the motion to terminate James Harris without cause effective Dec. 17. Most of the speakers showed their support for Harris, while a few others wanted him fired. I am here to help that happen. Castagna has served as the districts acting superintendent since late January, following the school boards decision to terminate superintendent James Harris contract in December2021. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Woodland Hills school board voted 5-4 after a contentious meeting in late January to hire Castagna as acting superintendent, at which many members of the public, and some on the school board, expressed opposition to hiring Castagna. The Woodland Hills School District with a notably smaller enrollment of 3,310 in the 2018-19 school year eliminated police from schools after a two-year phase out. siteId: 126296, // Woodland Hills School Board votes to fire superintendent pageId: 726593, // Page : Woodland_Hills/ros The district serves 12 municipalities east of Pittsburgh and enrolls about 3,300 students. They go, I have other stuff to do in the community where I can be serving better than sitting in a room waiting for two 16-year-olds to smack each other on the neck, this is silly. "We have made a commitment to provide a wide range of support systems to our students," Woodland Hills Superintendent Dr. Daniel Castagna said. Harris: When procedures and practices were put in place where they were no longer necessary, some of the officers who were here said, Why am I even here? Thats the success, when the officer says, You dont need me here.. Thats the key to removing the police. November 17, 2021 / 8:50 PM ", Speakers after Woods agreed that many people do make mistakes and deserve second chances but felt that Castagna has already had the opportunity to learn from his mistakes and failed to live up to the task. Woodland Hills Superintendent Alan Johnson told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "Mr. Hollis is taking a couple of isolated incidents and turning them into a pattern that does not exist. He can be reached at kellen@publicsource.org. This position is a position of public trust. People should have the opportunity to reinvent themselves and prove themselves. ", He said that the students' behavior would not be tolerated, "and we will be doing a better job in becoming proactive moving forward.". Woodland Hills Senior High School; Turtle Creek Elementary STEAM Academy; Edgewood Elementary STEAM Academy; Wilkins Elementary STEAM Academy; WH Online Academy; Dickson STEAM Academy; WHOC - Woodland Hills Opportunity Camp; School Board . Teresa M. Hawthorne Executive Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent Email: hawtte@whsd.us Phone: 412-731-1300 x0183 FAX: 412-679-1621 . "Why are we not looking internally," asked Jennifer Alfieri, a registered speaker, and parent. Before the vote, school board members gave comments about Castagna, which caused conflict between some and caused disruption and shouting out from the public. Police are staying, but the district has approved a resolution which will require the district to create a public database that combines school police data with student demographic information. Hawkins witnessed the chaos and death of a Steven Eason, a Central Catholic student who was shot in 2021. Harris spoke with PublicSource to discuss how the atmosphere has changed and how this idea can be considered in other districts. District officials defended his hiring following a meeting that saw hours of public comments. Many of those at the meeting questioned why the district did not promote for the position from within, being that the district has two people in administrative roles, Dawn Golden and Dr. Jean Livingston, both of whom have their superintendent letters from the department of education. / CBS Pittsburgh. Harris had been an administrator since 2018, and the school board did not give a reason for his firing. Members . Especially after we have had time to demonstrate change," she said. He served as the superintendent of West Mifflin from 2011 to 2019. You can contact Patrick by email at pvarine@triblive.com or via Twitter . Superintendents Message . "I could not find any evidence that Dr. Castagna had been active in the field of education in the last three years. A few others said that they supported a move to fire him. Question: Can you describe the environment at Woodland Hills when the district had police officers? We didnt need three years worth of data to make a decision. Other speakers did not agree. NORTH BRADDOCK, Pa. The Woodland Hills School District has officially appointed Dr. Daniel Castagna as thedistricts new superintendent. He was placed on unpaid leave July 2 pending termination. The meeting was set for board members to vote on whether or not to hire Dr. Daniel Castagna as superintendent of the Woodland Hills School District. May 25, 2022 at 10:51 pm EDT. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Woodland Hills School District approves teacher cuts, tax reduction - MSN The students listened to their own local leaders testify, including Woodland Hills Superintendent Daniel Castagna and Aliquippa Mayor Dwan Walker. Several community members and parents spoke in favor of Harris during public comment before the vote. Interim Superintendent email: castda@whsd.net 412.731.1300 ext. Castagna was fired as superintendent of West Mifflin Area schools in March 2019 following two DUI arrests and accusations of neglect ofduties, incompetency, and immorality. Instead, I simply found that he co-owns a bar that has been shut down for covid violations. Woodland Hills is a very special place, and I am proud to be a part of this family. West Mifflin accused Castagna of asking employees to complete private work on school district time and lying about his DUI history. Both voted against Castagnas appointment as acting superintendent in January, along with board president Mike Belmonte and Lawson. Castagna has also served as superintendent in the West Mifflin School District from 2011-2019, and has worked in administrative positions in both the Baldwin-Whitehall and Hopewell Area school districts. Parents are involved, its a $200 to $300 fine, which is silly when all I had to do was resolve it would be a handshake and, Hey, dont smack me anymore.. 2023 Trib Total Media | All Rights Reserved, Police investigating fatal McKeesport shooting, 2 people sought after Braddock Hills KFC robbery, Visit the 5 major attractions in Washington County celebrating milestone anniversaries this year, Woman dead after rollover crash in Churchill, Fire at Ross Township Chili's diverts customers, workers to restaurant's other sites, Met Gala fashion: Bndchen, Dua Lipa, Campbell on vintage train, TV Talk: Frank Nicotero hosts Very Local game show on the streets of Pittsburgh, Aerosmith's farewell tour visits Pittsburgh in September, Pittsburgh Pop podcast: Talking Mulaneys Baby J on Netflix, Aerosmith returning to Pittsburgh one last time, Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source. Five students sued the district in federal court, Pennsylvania Senate votes to ban safe injection sites, Dollar Bank says ATM 'skimmer' breached some users' card data, urges customers to monitor accounts, After School Satan Club near Allentown gets go-ahead from judge, Former Amazon exec wants to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S., starting in New Kensington, Polio vaccine pioneer Jonas Salk's archives 'come home' to the University of Pittsburgh, Sto-Rox School District seeks public input on financial recovery plans, Pa. Dem lawmakers renew push to expand teacher certification, in-state tuition for DACA recipients, Pittsburgh Public Schools will use grant funds to send security guards to a police academy. Pa. superintendent with 3 DUI arrests is hired amid protests: 'It's Last year, pre-COVID, we were down about 70% in our incidences. This small Wilkinsburg private school wants to grow into a 'village' in the community, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. . Through the course of the night, people stood up to plead with the board against hiring Castagna. They questioned whether it was a good idea for someone who has been through alcohol intervention programs to own a bar and has pictures of himself on social media with containers of alcohol. They need to feel like they have a voice and that they are being listened to. He is not eligible for any benefits but will be paid $615 per day. As many as 30 students were identified in a cafeteria fight. The Woodland Hills School District with a notably smaller enrollment of 3,310 in the 2018-19 school year eliminated police from schools after a two-year phase out. Your vote tonight will be reflected in your record, and we will note it when you are up for election again.". 2023 Trib Total Media | All Rights Reserved, Police investigating fatal McKeesport shooting, 2 people sought after Braddock Hills KFC robbery, Visit the 5 major attractions in Washington County celebrating milestone anniversaries this year, Woman dead after rollover crash in Churchill, Fire at Ross Township Chili's diverts customers, workers to restaurant's other sites, Met Gala fashion: Bndchen, Dua Lipa, Campbell on vintage train, TV Talk: Frank Nicotero hosts Very Local game show on the streets of Pittsburgh, Aerosmith's farewell tour visits Pittsburgh in September, Pittsburgh Pop podcast: Talking Mulaneys Baby J on Netflix, Aerosmith returning to Pittsburgh one last time, Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source.
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