"The result of what some of us believe was a hasty and unwarranted action was a loss of public trust." I am humbled and honored by the opportunity to serve the students of the Woodland Hills School District community as its Superintendent, Castagna said. Board President Jamie Glaser read the motion to terminate James Harris without cause effective Dec. 17. The Woodland Hills School District board of directors voted to approve a budget plan that would reduce property taxes. So I hope you hear our voices. Q: As police presence phased out, has anything surprised you? I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here so far and will continue to partner with our districts talented staff and dedicated community.. "It doesn't make sense to me that we are even considering this person as a superintendent at the school district," said Dan Miller, one of the registered speakers at the meeting. And we still have those items, but we try to make sure that the screening people smile and they welcome the kids to school, not just like youre coming into a prison door. Patrick Varine is a Tribune-Review staff writer. The school board, staff and communitys belief in me is something I will never take for granted.. The concept of voting out or recalling the board members who vote yes on Castagna was mentioned multiple times during the meeting. 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. When you introduce a law enforcement officer into a situation, theres very little gray involved; its either black or white. (Photo by Dayna Delgado) Those infamous videos of Woodland Hills students either being tackled, put in a headlock, lifted up against a locker, slammed to the ground, etc., by a school resource officer or another adult in an authoritative capacity have . 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. 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. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here so far and will continue to partner with our districts talented staff and dedicated community. The Woodland Hill School District released a statement after the meeting that said in part, "This is not a decision that was taken lightly, but it is one that the board believes is necessary for the district to move forward. Woodland Hills Superintendent Alan Johnson said the school district conducted an internal investigation "focused only on whether any school district personnel were directly involved" in last month . Do you need that data to understand the problems, or were you just able to take action? The agreements were approved by the Woodland Hills School District Board of School Directors during their legislative meeting on January 18, 2023. Q: In the 2018-19 school year, there were 1,381 students enrolled at Woodland Hills Jr./Sr. 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 . 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. Our teachers are tired of it, our students are tired of it, our parents are most definitely tired of it," said one student. I just dont think thats the job for them to do thats for the principal, teachers and counselors in the schools to do. Despite the efforts of concerned residents and an online petition that received over 350 signatures, the vote concluded with four against and five for Castagna. CBS News Pittsburgh: Free 24/7 News CBS Pittsburgh App I think we can change it, it can change," said Carter Lance, a Penn Hills junior. Most of the speakers showed their support for Harris, while a few others wanted him fired. It was . 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. Castagna later sued the school district after they released a list of grievances againsthim. 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. "We're trying to . 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. Hed previously been charged with driving under the influence in 2008, and he was later charged again in August 2019. The board reorganization meeting is Dec. 6. We didnt do that; thats not our role. How can these other districts replicate this given their own circumstances? 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. 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. I think we can change it, it can change, said Carter Lance, a Penn Hills junior. Q: How do you work to get beyond the belief some people have that students need police in schools? We thank Mr. Harris for his service as the district superintendent and will work with him to ensure a smooth transition.. Members . At Pittsburgh Public Schools [PPS] the areas largest district, with an enrollment of 22,859 advocates and protestors called for removal of police from the districts police force. 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I can understand that we don't always make the best decisions, and that shouldn't follow us for the rest of our lives. Through the course of the night, people stood up to plead with the board against hiring Castagna. The violence continues to touch and impact the youth of our area. Strategic Plan Midpoint - Professional Education. 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. 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. Do you feel more informed? Woodland Hills four-year graduation rate in the 2014-15 school year was just above 80 percent. "I appreciate the Woodland Hills School District giving me this opportunity to serve as its acting superintendent," Dr. Castagna said in the release. 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. Mike Belmonte; Terri Lawson; Dr. Tammi L. McMillan, Ed.D; Darnika Reed; Carlton Scott; Bridgett . Woodland Hills Superintendent Alan Johnson said the school district conducted an internal investigation "focused only on whether any school district personnel were directly involved" in last . 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. This realization helped lead the district into phasing out police presence in their school. "My organization is all about second chances; we even hire previously incarcerated individuals. Harris was hired in 2018 as the district was under the spotlight after its school police were accused of using excessive force. We cannot and will not stand for it. Covid guidelines and mandates have been controversial during the pandemic, but Woodland Hills' covid procedures and requirements regarding distancing and mask-wearing are strict. 0183. "Mr. Harris has consistently lied to us, to the media, to our parents, to our students, to our teachers. Last year, pre-COVID, we were down about 70% in our incidences. He was set to be arraigned later that month on DUI charges stemming from an incident in Beaver County three months earlier. The former West Mifflin superintendent who was fired after his second DUI case has been hired by the Woodland Hills School District. Woodland Hills is a very special place, and I am proud to be a part of this family. 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. And now, we realize we dont need any. 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. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Suspended superintendent accused of knowingly hiring man being investigated for murder. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Just over 24 hours after being asked for his resignation, the Woodland Hills School Board voted to terminate Superintendent James P. Harris's . So, for that I do apologize. / CBS Pittsburgh. 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. She can be reached at sschneider@wesa.fm. I was never trained in the military police academy to patrol a high school. 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. "That action often gave the impression that we were downplaying the severity of the incident," the letter states. "There are currently five board members who . Very rarely were they ever called, so the officers sat in the office all day. 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. 0183 The Woodland Hills School District Welcomes Dr. Daniel Castagna as Interim Superintendent. 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 . We didnt need three years worth of data to make a decision. 2023 Cox Media Group. 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. 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." 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. Imagine decreasing that infraction rate almost 70%. November 17, 2021 / 8:50 PM 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. 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. Castagnas firing from his West Mifflin post came after a series of hearings throughout 2018 under a law that allows for superintendents and assistant superintendents to have their contracts terminated with a school board vote for neglect of duty, incompetency, or immorality.. Woodland Hills School District. Make a gift of $7/month or more to get yours today! 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 . Q: How did the culture change as police presence began to phase out? When I met with students at the high school, they said they understood the reason why we would have police for outside threats because of the way society is moving. Its finally closing. What we did not want to have continue to happen was the criminalization of adolescent behavior. 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 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 . Harris spoke with PublicSource to discuss how the atmosphere has changed and how this idea can be considered in other districts. We have a great faculty in place and the students in our district are capable of delivering great things. Before the vote, school board members gave comments about Castagna, which caused conflict between some and caused disruption and shouting out from the public. It includes an update on action items from recent meetings with parents and high school students, details on recently completed and ongoing security improvements at all of our buildings, and much more. Could policing be reimagined in schools? "There are currently five board members who were not on the board when the decision was made to terminate Superintendent James Harris in December," was the opening comment made by board member Carlton Scott of Region 1 - Chalfant, Churchill, Wilkins, and Turtle Creek, which started off the meeting before registered speakers made their statements. email: hawtte@whsd.net You can contact Patrick by email at pvarine@triblive.com or via Twitter . Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. School board member elects Darnika Reed and Carlton Scott both said during public comment that they thought the board should table the vote until they were sworn in. ", 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. Several community members said to the board that the decision to vote came up so quickly, so they wanted to know the facts and continue the conversation. Both voted against Castagnas appointment as acting superintendent in January, along with board president Mike Belmonte and Lawson. Links. This article first appeared in a February 02, 2022 issue of The Valley Mirror. Several community members and parents spoke in favor of Harris during public comment before the vote. "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.
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