woodland hills superintendent

"My organization is all about second chances; we even hire previously incarcerated individuals. The Woodland Hills School District webpage has moved to www.whsd.net, Please visit the new website for updated information. I just dont think thats the job for them to do thats for the principal, teachers and counselors in the schools to do. They need to feel like they have a voice and that they are being listened to. The bar Castagna co-owns, Cosmo on Carson, was cited in 2020 for lack of face coverings, failure to physically distance customers, and serving alcohol without a meal. My family is very strong and stuck together, and I dont want to see that fall apart due to gun violence, said Xavier Weisenz, a Woodland Hills freshman. West Mifflin accused Castagna of asking employees to complete private work on school district time and lying about his DUI history. 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. "Why are we not looking internally," asked Jennifer Alfieri, a registered speaker, and parent. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. How do you work beyond the notion that people will take advantage of a school environment without police presence? We knew week-to-week, we can see changes based on the minor adjustments that we were doing. "The result of what some of us believe was a hasty and unwarranted action was a loss of public trust." Woodland Hills Superintendent James Harris said he was shocked when he was asked to resign. Woodland Hills is a very special place, and I am proud to be a part of this family. 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 . District officials defended his hiring following a meeting that saw hours of public comments. Nov 17, 2021. If we could do more things like this and have the community wrap around us and this problem. Athletics (opens in new window/tab) Buildings and Grounds; Business and Finance; Curriculum; Personnel . Does Woodland Hills collect data around arrests and citations? 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. 10:24 AM. Pittsburgh's Action News 4 repeatedly reached out to Woodland Hills Superintendent Daniel Castagna for comment for months on the charges filed against Miles. Q: How has your background as a military police officer shaped the way you handle discipline at Woodland Hills? "We have said no thank you, and we are saying tonight, no thank you. Teresa M. Hawthorne Executive Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent email: hawtte @whsd.net 412.731.1300 ext. 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. However, with the redesign of the high school and a lot of our buildings are safer, theyre harder to get in if youre an outside person trying to do some bad stuff in a school. Students, parents, coaches and community leaders shared their opinions with the board. Local students gather at state capitol, make plea for an end to gun Our teachers are tired of it, our students are tired of it, our parents are most definitely tired of it," said one student. Harris walked out of the meeting right after the board voted. On Jan. 10, 2018, he began a two-week medical leave, and the school board voted Jan. 19 to place him on paid leave. I am here to help that happen.". Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Woodland Hills Appoints Former West Mifflin Superintendent Fired After Its finally closing. As the General Manager and Superintendent, I lead all aspects of operations with a . 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. 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All Rights Reserved. It was a 15-month ordeal that ended in Castagna suing the district in federal court. 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. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. This is not a person who has actively been working to improve children's lives in the past three years," said Moon. However, we have a terrible image problem. 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 . Especially after we have had time to demonstrate change," she said. We have a great faculty in place, and the students in our district are capable of delivering great things. Select Accept to consent or Reject to decline non-essential cookies for this use. + Caption. It was the last meeting for three board members. 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. 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. Sarah Schneider is WESA's education reporter. Many speakers during the meeting noted that they were frustrated by the districts lack of transparency in the matter. 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. Rontez Miles appears before North Versailles judge Question: Can you describe the environment at Woodland Hills when the district had police officers? PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Suspended superintendent accused of knowingly hiring man being investigated for murder. From early learning to higher education, Sarah is interested in students and educators working to create more equitable systems. Assistant Superintendent - Woodland Hills School District 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. 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. I know his heart, I know his mind, and I know his ability." On his first day as Woodland Hills superintendent in 2018, James Harris said he noticed two Churchill borough police officers who were assigned to the district wearing full SWAT tactical gear, as students shuffled off buses and entered the high school for the first day of school. Peters Township School District Investigating Allegations - CBS News Very rarely were they ever called, so the officers sat in the office all day. The Woodland Hills School District Welcomes Dr. Daniel Castagna as Interim Superintendent. siteId: 126296, // "We have many wonderful 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. 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. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Suspended superintendent accused of knowingly hiring man being investigated for murder. Castagna has served as the acting superintendent since Jan. 28. Interim Superintendent email: castda@whsd.net 412.731.1300 ext. PITTSBURGH After four fights last week led to remote learning for Woodland Hills High School, students returned to the classrooms Monday with new rules. The school district announced on May 25 that Castagna would officially be head of the district from May 26, 2022, to May 25, 2027. 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." I can understand that we don't always make the best decisions, and that shouldn't follow us for the rest of our lives. This button displays the currently selected search type. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here so far and will continue to partner with our districts talented staff and dedicated community. "It's hard to find someone who hasn't had some issues. 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. Earlier in the day on Wednesday, Harris told KDKA that he believes the vote is illegal because there was no proper notice or a scheduled hearing. 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. 35 years later, we take a look at the impact of the - PublicSource Kellen Stepler is an editorial intern for PublicSource. He had been charged with a DUI in 2008 and in 2019. Woodland Hills superintendent describes benefits of - PublicSource Harris told KDKA before the meeting that he plans to fight the decision. Do you feel more informed? The dispute was settled in 2018. Woodland Hills School District reduces property tax - Yahoo News Castagna later sued the school district after they released a list of grievances againsthim. Just over 24 hours after being asked for his resignation, the Woodland Hills School Board voted to terminate Superintendent James P. Harris's . 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. Castagna previously served as the superintendent of West Mifflin School District, assistant principal at Baldwin-Whitehall School District and worked as a teacher in the Hopewell Area School District. JAMES P. HARRIS JR., the new superintendent of the Woodland Hills School District, fields questions from reporters after being sworn-in, Aug. People should have the opportunity to reinvent themselves and prove themselves. During the process, Dr. Castagna earned the support of the majority of the board," board member Carlton Scott said in a district-issued release. 412.731.1300 ext. Dr. Phillip K. Woods - Superintendent - Aliquippa School District 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. 0183. Castagna . email: hawtte@whsd.net "I appreciate the Woodland Hills School District giving me this opportunity to serve as its acting superintendent," Dr. Castagna said in the release. Board member Bridgette Kreach mentioned that she had received letters of recommendation from colleagues at West Mifflin for Castagna and that his interview with the board went well.