"We have many wonderful teachers. We added a number of supports, and then we pulled the heavy beam away, and it opened everything up. The district said Harris' last day will be Dec. 17th and the search for a new superintendent starts immediately. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. "We have made a commitment to provide a wide range of support systems to our students," Woodland Hills Superintendent Dr. Daniel Castagna said. We knew week-to-week, we can see changes based on the minor adjustments that we were doing. 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. . sas.call("std", { Scott then welcomed Castagna to the district before the official vote was taken. Woodland Hills is a very special place, and I am proud to be a part of this family, Castagna said. Harris walked out of the meeting right after the board voted. He served as the superintendent of West Mifflin from 2011 to 2019. pic.twitter.com/l73WMgdWIs, Nicole Ford (@NicoleFordTV) March 23, 2023. Your vote tonight will be reflected in your record, and we will note it when you are up for election again.". Q: How were you able to get staff, students and families on board? About 30 students . "If you all vote tonight to remove this great man, this great leader, you are making a bad decision, a real bad decision. Unified. Due to the pandemic, students at Woodland Hills are only partially in school for in-person instruction, but Harris describes the positive change hes seen since they started reducing, and finally eliminating police from school (they still have unarmed security guards). Harris: Any business or any organization wants people to feel welcome, but the students have a lot of needs, and so do staff. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Suspended superintendent accused of knowingly hiring man being investigated for murder. 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. Could policing be reimagined in schools? Members . Woodland Hills Golf & Country Club is an 18-hole, 6390 yard, par 72 championship golf course and country club. 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 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 . I was never trained in the military police academy to patrol a high school. Superintendent Johnson said the numbers have been static in the last three years; they're getting just as many back as they lose. Just over 24 hours after being asked for his resignation, the Woodland Hills School Board voted to terminate Superintendent James P. Harris's . 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. Castagna later sued the school district after they released a list of grievances againsthim. Harris: Im not anti-police. Just having a stabler, calmer environment; we had less blow-ups between students and staff. You can update your choices at any time in your settings. 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. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Haunted Hills hay rides there are special effects, but nobody thought somebody got shot, then I turned over and the dude is just there, laid out, had got shot, said Che Hawkins, a Clairton City sophomore. BECOME A MEMBER. Please choose someone else.". 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. 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." 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 . 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. Please take a moment to read this message from Woodland Hills Superintendent Dr. Daniel Castagna. He initially told KDKA it involved only a half-dozen students. A legal fight could cause a delay and leave the matter to the new school board members, who take their seats in January. 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. The agreements were approved by the Woodland Hills School District Board of School Directors during their legislative meeting on January 18, 2023. Castagna was hired by the district in 2007 and served as superintendent from 2011 through 2018. Woodland Hills senior Desmon Jackson said whatever the intent was, it was hurtful. Q: How long did Woodland Hills not have school police prior to shutting down because of COVID-19 in March? As the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports, Daniel Castagna, 43, of Beaver County, is the new acting superintendent of Woodland Hills School District in Allegheny County, effective immediately. Covid guidelines and mandates have been controversial during the pandemic, but Woodland Hills' covid procedures and requirements regarding distancing and mask-wearing are strict. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. I look forward to seeing our district succeed.. 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. Woods described growing up with Castagna and being mentored by him. 15. 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. 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. 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. If we could do more things like this and have the community wrap around us and this problem. target: '' // Targeting Strategic Plan Midpoint - Professional Education. 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. Woodland Hills school officials have made Acting Superintendent Daniel Castagnas position permanent, voting to confirm his appointment at a special meeting Wednesday night that also included the resignation of two school board members. Woodland Hills is a very special place, and I am proud to be a part of this family. Woodland Hills is a very special place, and I am proud to be a part of this family. 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. District officials defended his hiring following a meeting that saw hours of public comments. 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Woodland Hills School District. Both voted against Castagnas appointment as acting superintendent in January, along with board president Mike Belmonte and Lawson. He had been charged with a DUI in 2008 and in 2019. TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. Learn more in our Cookie Policy. 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. 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. 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. 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. They awarded damages worth $2.95 million on Monday. 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. "During the course of our search for an acting superintendent, we had the opportunity to speak with both internal and external candidates. So, for that I do apologize. Email news@wesa.fm. NORTH BRADDOCK, Pa. The Woodland Hills School District has officially appointed Dr. Daniel Castagna as the district's new superintendent. The school district announced on May 25 that Castagna would officially be head of the district from May 26, 2022, to May 25, 2027. January 28, 2022 / 9:29 PM The board voted 8-1 to remove James Harris without cause. We thank Mr. Harris for his service as the district superintendent and will work with him to ensure a smooth transition.. 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. Earlier on Wednesday, Harris told KDKA that he was completely blindsided when the board president, vice president and solicitor asked him to resign on Tuesday. Woodland Hills Online Academy; Woodland Hills Opportunity Camp; Woodland Hills Senior High School; Departments. 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. In the early 2000s, Woodland Hills was losing about 400 kids a year to charter schools. 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. Many speakers during the meeting noted that they were frustrated by the districts lack of transparency in the matter. Mike Belmonte; Terri Lawson; Dr. Tammi L. McMillan, Ed.D; Darnika Reed; Carlton Scott; Bridgett . 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. "As a mom, it's important that my children have examples - have role models. Very rarely were they ever called, so the officers sat in the office all day. Neither Scott nor Currie could be immediately reached for comment. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. High School. 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. From early learning to higher education, Sarah is interested in students and educators working to create more equitable systems. 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. 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 . Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The board reorganization meeting is Dec. 6. You just cant pull police out, that doesnt require any support. 2023 Cox Media Group. 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 . 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. 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. People should have the opportunity to reinvent themselves and prove themselves. Castagna will be the acting superintendent for one year or until a new superintendent is hired. I think we can change it, it can change, said Carter Lance, a Penn Hills junior. This realization helped lead the district into phasing out police presence in their school. 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