West Mifflin schools fired Castagna in 2019 after his second DUI case. sas.call("std", { Other speakers did not agree. Q: Why is it important for students, especially now in our world, to have that support and go to a school where they feel welcome? 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. Teresa M. Hawthorne Executive Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent Email: hawtte@whsd.us Phone: 412-731-1300 x0183 FAX: 412-679-1621 . How do you work beyond the notion that people will take advantage of a school environment without police presence? PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Parents concerned Woodland Hills moving to hire new superintendent with checkered past. Woods described growing up with Castagna and being mentored by him. 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. Make a gift of $7/month or more to get yours today! Pittsburgh's Action News 4 repeatedly reached out to Woodland Hills Superintendent Daniel Castagna for comment for months on the charges filed against Miles. The Woodland Hills School District has officially appointed Dr. Daniel Castagna as the district's new superintendent. "Why are we not looking internally," asked Jennifer Alfieri, a registered speaker, and parent. When [High School Principal Phillip] Woods got here, he said that hes going to keep control of the building, and hell call [the police] when necessary. West Mifflin accused Castagna of asking employees to complete private work on school district time and lying about his DUI history. 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. When you introduce a law enforcement officer into a situation, theres very little gray involved; its either black or white. As a result, the district moved to virtual learning for two days in October. This spacious zippered tote with a design by local artist Andrea Shockling represents different Pittsburghers walks of life, just like we strive for our nonprofit newsrooms journalism to do. . Members . You just cant pull police out, that doesnt require any support. That's who I cared about, and that's who you should care about.". He was suspended from the position after he was accused of knowingly hiring a man who was under investigation for murder as one of the schools security guards. May 25, 2022 at 10:51 pm EDT. Sarah previously worked with news outlets in Pennsylvania, Illinois and Idaho. A few others said that they supported a move to fire him. The students listened to their own local leaders testify, including Woodland Hills Superintendent Daniel Castagna and Aliquippa Mayor Dwan Walker. "During the course of our search for an acting superintendent, we had the opportunity to speak with both internal and external candidates. 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. A lot of people in the community are upset about it. Patrick Varine is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Kellen Stepler is an editorial intern for PublicSource. If we could do more things like this and have the community wrap around us and this problem. We understand that there has been heightened attention and discussion regarding this decision, board member Carlton Scott said, but we truly believe that Dr. Castagna will faithfully and expertly guide the Woodland Hills School District during this transition period.. About 30 students . I dont see the reason why I should be here. I look forward to seeing our district succeed.. A legal fight could cause a delay and leave the matter to the new school board members, who take their seats in January. I look forward to seeing our district succeed.. In a 5-4 vote, the Pittsburgh Public Schools board voted Wednesday to use $27,000 in grant funds to cover costs of police training for four district security guards. He served as the superintendent of West Mifflin from 2011 to 2019. "The result of what some of us believe was a hasty and unwarranted action was a loss of public trust." Oregon romance writer charged with murdering husband found guilty, Texas school shooting live updates: All victims were in same classroom, Lockdown lifted at 4 Pittsburgh Public Schools after reports of shots fired near Westinghouse 6-12, Police, EMS on scene for incident in Smith Township, VIDEO: Target 11 warning shoppers after more skimming devices are discovered, DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts, Bride killed, groom critically injured after wedding reception when drunken driver hits golf cart, Man charged in connection to death of woman hit by truck in Oakland, 1 person killed in shooting in McKeesport, Many Dollar Bank customers missing hundreds of dollars due to ATM skimming, Its getting worse: Community seeking answers from Pittsburgh leaders in light of recent violence. That being said, recalling a board of education member is no easy task and is not a situation there are many precedents for in the state of PA. After an 8-1 vote, Harris stood up from his seat at the table and left the meeting. Together, his classmates, along with Woodland Hills and Penn Hills students, listened and felt the pain of survivors who shared their stories. 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. The board also accepted the resignation of members Ronna Currie and Marilyn Scott. Woodland Hills School District officials voted 8-1 in November 2021 to terminate the contract of Superintendent James Harris effective December 17. Harris: The phased-out approach it showed not having a need. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. As many speakers after her also did, Moon made reference to Castagna's Google search results, which yielded his termination from West Mifflin, among several alleged claims that gave Woodland Hills families cause for concern. I just dont think thats the job for them to do thats for the principal, teachers and counselors in the schools to do. Q: How do you work to get beyond the belief some people have that students need police in schools? Superintendent's Office; Title IX; Transcripts; Woodland Hills Foundation (opens in new window/tab) 23-24 School Calendar . Select Accept to consent or Reject to decline non-essential cookies for this use. Immediately, he had the officers trade their bulletproof vests for khakis and polo shirts. Most of the speakers showed their support for Harris, while a few others wanted him fired. 0183, Teresa M. Hawthorne You need to make sure that the students have respect for each other, respect for the teachers and respect for themselves. 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. If one cannot be trusted to take the health department orders seriously within their own establishment stands to reason that another way in which Castagna may not be the best role model to children is in regards to following covid procedures. While there were multiple speakers both at the meeting and via Zoom who offered support and criticism of Harris during the 2021 meeting, last Friday's meeting regarding Castagna did not have a single non-school board person from the district commenting in favor of his employment. Castagna addressed his new district following news of the verdict in his lawsuit against West Mifflin. He said the experience has changed him and because of that, he wanted to make the trip to Harrisburg. I am humbled and honored by the opportunity to serve the students of the Woodland Hills School District community as its Superintendent, Castagna said. You have to feel welcome, and when you have to go through metal detectors, or youre being patted down like youre going to the airport or something, you dont feel like youre in a safe environment because of those things. BECOME A MEMBER. We have peer-to-peer [counseling], we have teacher-to-student [counseling], we have behavioral interventions, we have counseling, we have assistant principals, we have principals, we have myself. Castagna . PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Suspended superintendent accused of knowingly hiring man being investigated for murder. The article begins, "The new superintendent for Woodland Hills School District says he significantly raised test scores and closed the achievement gap between black and white students at a suburban . On Jan. 10, 2018, he began a two-week medical leave, and the school board voted Jan. 19 to place him on paid leave. We have a great faculty in place and the students in our district are capable of delivering great things. Interim Superintendent email: castda@whsd.net 412.731.1300 ext. Woodland Hills hired Woods a year after Kevin Murray resigned as high school principal following several controversies involving the treatment of students that led to a federal lawsuit against the district. I can understand that we don't always make the best decisions, and that shouldn't follow us for the rest of our lives. The board voted 8-1 to remove James Harris without cause. 2550 Greensburg Pike, Pittsburgh, PA 15218. From early learning to higher education, Sarah is interested in students and educators working to create more equitable systems. Castagna has served as the acting superintendent since Jan. 28. Several community members and parents spoke in favor of Harris during public comment before the vote. T he Woodland Hills School Board made two big moves in their Wednesday night meeting, approving a tax cut for people who live in the district, and in a controversial vote, furloughing teachers and . The Woodland Hills school board voted 5-4 after a contentious meeting in late January to hire Castagna as acting superintendent during the search for a permanent replacement for James Harris. sas.setup({ domain: 'https://www5.smartadserver.com'}); When I look at Dr. Livingston, the principal when my first son started [and] is now 21, she's amazing, and she's still here." Dr. Daniel Castagna Superintendent Email: castda@whsd.us Superintendent Bio. Do you feel more informed? The school district announced on May 25 that Castagna would officially be head of the district from May 26, 2022, to May 25, 2027. 10:24 AM. Our teachers are tired of it, our students are tired of it, our parents are most definitely tired of it," said one student. Key Responsibilities: Supervise on-site activities. "That action often gave the impression that we were downplaying the severity of the incident," the letter states. West Mifflin accused Castagna of asking employees to complete private work on school district time and lying about his DUI history. 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.. The students listened to their own local leaders testify, including Woodland Hills Superintendent Daniel Castagna and Aliquippa Mayor Dwan Walker. When the new administration came in, they started to minimize the role of police officers and take over the daily discipline and the behavioral situation in the building. 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. Have a tip for the WESA newsroom? "I appreciate the Woodland Hills School District giving me this opportunity to serve as its acting superintendent," Castagna said in a statement. 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. The conversation with Harris has been edited and condensed for brevity and clarity. I come to you tonight concerned that the board is only going to add to this image problem by bringing in Dr. Dan Castagna to lead our district." Hed previously been charged with driving under the influence in 2008, and he was later charged again in August 2019. Messages: April 5th . 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 . "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. People should have the opportunity to reinvent themselves and prove themselves. Imagine decreasing that infraction rate almost 70%. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Harris: Schools are generally non-violent places, and if there are situations where you need police, sometimes if you add a more rigorous, interesting curriculum, students have something to do, and that will redirect them. Former Woodland Hills School District superintendent James Harris is speaking out after Pittsburgh's Action News 4 obtained new documents regarding his firing. 0183. "Mr. Harris has consistently lied to us, to the media, to our parents, to our students, to our teachers. We have over 200 kids, 400 parents in our program and they're very upset about it and everybody in the community doesn't know what's going on right now," said Kareem Sarvis from the Woodland Hills Midget Football Association. Last year, pre-COVID, we were down about 70% in our incidences. Athletics (opens in new window/tab) Buildings and Grounds; Business and Finance; Curriculum; Personnel . TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. Harris: When I first got here, we started collecting our write-ups, or incident referrals. It made it less confrontational, it made it less tense and those are words that students have used with me when I asked them a couple years ago, when I got here. Nov 17, 2021. I am humbled and honored by the opportunity to serve the students of the Woodland Hills School District community as its superintendent, Castagna said. A federal jury on Monday ordered West Mifflin School District to pay nearly $3 million to former Superintendent Daniel Castagna in connection with his 2019 firing. The police dont do that, and you hear police complain; theyre being called out to intervene in situations where they shouldnt be the ones doing it. Woodland Hills School District is a public school district located in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, serving twelve municipalities in the Pittsburgh area; Braddock, Braddock Hills, Chalfant, Churchill, East Pittsburgh, Edgewood, Forest Hills, North Braddock, Rankin, Swissvale, Turtle Creek and Wilkins Township (except for a small portion). Even in my organization, we hire previously incarcerated individuals, but we don't allow certain people to work with children; because it's not about what I want, it's not about what Dr. Woods wants, it's about what the parents want. Harris: You have to go building by building, and you have to empower the building leadership to make decisions. Once again, you and I are walking in the hallway and you smack me on the back of the neck pretty hard Well, that could be construed as assault. You have to make an environment thats friendly and welcoming. But if you do need me, please call, Ill be happy to come and work with the kids Thats what the conversation turned in to. Harris: We have layers. This position is a position of public trust. NORTH BRADDOCK, Pa. The Woodland Hills School District has officially appointed Dr. Daniel Castagna as the district's new superintendent. PublishedNovember 17, 2021 at 9:53 PM EST. The board reorganization meeting is Dec. 6. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Parents concerned Woodland Hills moving to hire new superintendent with checkered past. TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. "If you all vote tonight to remove this great man, this great leader, you are making a bad decision, a real bad decision. Superintendent's Office; Title IX; Transcripts; Woodland Hills Foundation (opens in new window/tab) 23-24 School Calendar . We thank Mr. Harris for his service as the district superintendent and will work with him to ensure a smooth transition.. He is not eligible for any benefits but will be paid $615 per day. He can be reached at kellen@publicsource.org. Castagna has served as the acting superintendent since Jan. 28. Jul 2018 - Jul 20213 years 1 month. "I could not find any evidence that Dr. Castagna had been active in the field of education in the last three years. "Our plan is to continue to provide this relief," Superintendent Dr. Daniel Castagna said. JAMES P. HARRIS JR., the new superintendent of the Woodland Hills School District, fields questions from reporters after being sworn-in, Aug. It was a 15-month ordeal that ended in Castagna suing the district in federal court. In a seemingly abrupt move Wednesday night, the Woodland Hills School Board voted to terminate its superintendent. "My organization is all about second chances; we even hire previously incarcerated individuals. 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. ", Speakers from the public comment section were quick to remind board members that they are representatives of the community, that it was their job to listen to their constituents, and that they could be voted out just as quickly as they were voted in. Woodland Hills four-year graduation rate in the 2014-15 school year was just above 80 percent. This article first appeared in a February 02, 2022 issue of The Valley Mirror. Superintendents Message . I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here so far and will continue to partner with our districts talented staff and dedicated community.. 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. Could policing be reimagined in schools? 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 . I think we can change it, it can change," said Carter Lance, a Penn Hills junior. So I hope you hear our voices. We knew week-to-week, we can see changes based on the minor adjustments that we were doing. 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. If we cant de-escalate a situation, then no one really can. The district is holding a town hall meeting Monday at 6 p.m. at Focus on Renewal in McKees Rocks. Athletics (opens in new window/tab) Buildings and Grounds; Business and Finance; Curriculum; Personnel . The jury late last week ruled in favor of Castagna, now acting superintendent at Woodland Hills, on all but one of the claims he laid out against the district in a lawsuit filed in 2019.