Instead, I simply found that he co-owns a bar that has been shut down for covid violations. 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. The board voted 8 to 1 to terminate James Harris without cause during a meeting on Wednesday. "My wife and I are graduates of this district, and we are fierce defenders of this school district, but this is indefensible. He can be reached at kellen@publicsource.org. If we cant de-escalate a situation, then no one really can. So, it was a gradual approach to removal. 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. "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. Woodland Hills School Board votes to fire superintendent If we could do more things like this and have the community wrap around us and this problem. The violence continues to touch and impact the youth of our area. Board President Jamie Glaser read the motion to terminate James Harris without cause effective Dec. 17. 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. 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. 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. 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.. 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). 0183. It was . Woodland Hills is a very special place, and I am proud to be a part of this family. I can understand that we don't always make the best decisions, and that shouldn't follow us for the rest of our lives. I was never trained in the military police academy to patrol a high school. On Jan. 10, 2018, he began a two-week medical leave, and the school board voted Jan. 19 to place him on paid leave. Ensure on-site staff are complying with plans and safety requirements. Woods described growing up with Castagna and being mentored by him. Woodland Hills hires Dan Castagna as superintendent - WTAE Job Superintendent Salary in Woodland Hills, CA TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. Just having a stabler, calmer environment; we had less blow-ups between students and staff. 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. | Watch WPXI NOW, 18-year-old killed, another injured in crash on I-79 3 Rivers Casino employees fired, charged after fight in dining room, state police say Pittsburgh doctor speaks on deadly fungal infections across US VIDEO: Peace summit in Larimer brings together domestic abuse survivors with goal of taking action DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts, 18-year-old killed, another injured in crash on I-79, 3 Rivers Casino employees fired, charged after fight in dining room, state police say, Pittsburgh doctor speaks on deadly fungal infections across US, VIDEO: Peace summit in Larimer brings together domestic abuse survivors with goal of taking action, DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts, For only the second time in its history, the US Navy is beginning the slow, tricky process of taking apart a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, A Towering, Terrifying Demon Horse Isnt Even the Weirdest Part, Man who lost wife, son in Texas mass shooting tells story, Roman Polanski and the woman he pleaded guilty to raping pose together 45 years later, Hunter Biden appears in court for paternity case, Virtual run raises awareness for MMIP families throughout the country, Pour Salt Down Your Drain At Night, Here's Why, This Series on Swedish Death Cleaning Unpacks the Emotional Burden of Clutter, Shop the top trends from the 2023 Met Gala red carpet: Nude dresses, corsets and black and white. It comes as the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee is holding its first discussion in more than a decade on laws related to guns. 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. Pa. superintendent with 3 DUI arrests is hired amid protests: 'It's Key Responsibilities: Supervise on-site activities. "That was never the intent. 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. Q: How did the culture change as police presence began to phase out? Harris: Im not anti-police. 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. You just cant pull police out, that doesnt require any support. 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. That's who I cared about, and that's who you should care about.". 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). 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 still have our counselors, our behavioral interventionists and a great leadership staff in the building. Woodland Hills Foundation (opens in new window/tab) 23-24 School Calendar; Superintendent's Office . You would be placing someone that many people in the community don't trust. Thats the key to removing the police. 412.731.1300 ext. I look forward to seeing our district succeed.. Castagna has served as the acting superintendent since Jan. 28. ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. . Athletics (opens in new window/tab) Buildings and Grounds; Business and Finance; Curriculum; Personnel . However, we have a terrible image problem. 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. The faces of victims of gun violence were held tight by students and loved ones on the steps of the state capitol. Instead of us going to the principals office and talking through our issue and shaking hands and going back to class, theres now a summons involved, then a court appearance. Links. Harris: Any business or any organization wants people to feel welcome, but the students have a lot of needs, and so do staff. He initially told KDKA it involved only a half-dozen students. Members . PREVIOUS COVERAGE: West Mifflin School District to pay former superintendent $2.9 million, 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, 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. NORTH BRADDOCK, Pa. The Woodland Hills School District has officially appointed Dr. Daniel Castagna as thedistricts new superintendent. 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. 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. It was a 15-month ordeal that ended in Castagna suing the district in federal court. "As a mom, it's important that my children have examples - have role models. 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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. 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. The former West Mifflin superintendent who was fired after his second DUI case has been hired by the Woodland Hills School District. Board members did not say what prompted the termination. Last year, pre-COVID, we were down about 70% in our incidences. Superintendent Johnson said the numbers have been static in the last three years; they're getting just as many back as they lose. "Mr. Harris has consistently lied to us, to the media, to our parents, to our students, to our teachers. The School Board, staff and communitys belief in me is something I will never take for granted. Local students gather at state capitol, make plea for an end to gun Your vote tonight will be reflected in your record, and we will note it when you are up for election again.". The officers prior to us getting here would be involved in the day-to-day happenings with what was going on with the students. Now inspired by the journey, these kids hope to use this experience to make a change back in their own communities. Hed previously been charged with driving under the influence in 2008, and he was later charged again in August 2019. The board voted 8-1 to remove James Harris without cause. 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. This realization helped lead the district into phasing out police presence in their school. He . The Woodland Hills school board abruptly fired its superintendent Wednesday night. JAMES P. HARRIS JR., the new superintendent of the Woodland Hills School District, fields questions from reporters after being sworn-in, Aug. May 25, 2022 at 10:51 pm EDT. I think we can change it, it can change," said Carter Lance, a Penn Hills junior. 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 . 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.. Question: Can you describe the environment at Woodland Hills when the district had police officers? 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. November 17, 2021 / 8:50 PM West Mifflin schools fired Castagna in 2019 after his second DUI case. target: '' // Targeting PREVIOUS COVERAGE: West Mifflin School District to pay former superintendent $2.9 million, Oregon romance writer charged with murdering husband found guilty Oregon romance writer charged with murdering husband found guilty (NCD). PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Parents concerned Woodland Hills moving to hire new superintendent with checkered past. 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. He served as the superintendent of West Mifflin from 2011 to 2019. Teresa M. Hawthorne Executive Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent email: hawtte @whsd.net 412.731.1300 ext. 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. 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. People should have the opportunity to reinvent themselves and prove themselves. Harris: When I first got here, we started collecting our write-ups, or incident referrals. 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. Castagna . "But I am also a foster mom, mother, and child care educator for the past 18 years. The districts superintendent believes its changed the school environment for the better, though he notes that its crucial not just to remove police, but also to increase student and staff supports. 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.. Scott then welcomed Castagna to the district before the official vote was taken. Q: How has your background as a military police officer shaped the way you handle discipline at Woodland Hills? It was the last meeting for three board members. 0183, Teresa M. Hawthorne Superintendent's Office; Title IX; Transcripts; Woodland Hills Foundation (opens in new window/tab) 23-24 School Calendar . Sarah previously worked with news outlets in Pennsylvania, Illinois and Idaho. We have many wonderful programs for our students. "I appreciate the Woodland Hills School District giving me this opportunity to serve as its acting superintendent," Dr. Castagna said in the release. Students, parents, coaches and community leaders shared their opinions with the board. He was set to be arraigned later that month on DUI charges stemming from an incident in Beaver County three months earlier. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. Its finally closing. The School Board, staff and communitys belief in me is something I will never take for granted. He had been charged with a DUI in 2008 and in 2019. Change your mind. You can update your choices at any time in your settings. Pittsburgh's Action News 4 repeatedly reached out to Woodland Hills Superintendent Daniel Castagna for comment for months on the charges filed against Miles. Interim Superintendent email: castda@whsd.net 412.731.1300 ext. Students return to Woodland Hills High School with new rules - WPXI Email news@wesa.fm. This small Wilkinsburg private school wants to grow into a 'village' in the community, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Castagna's appointment carries a term of one year or until the district hires a new 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 . Please read the update below from Superintendent James Harris regarding Wednesday's incident at the high school.