Chartiers Valley hires assistant superintendent, high school principal

Chartiers Valley will have new leadership in key administrative positions when 2025 arrives.

The board on Tuesday, Dec. 3 hired Michael Sable — who was appointed as high school principal this summer — to be the assistant superintendent for a 5-year term. Lesley McDonough, assistant principal at Woodland Hills High School, will fill Sable’s position.

Sable will continue to be paid $130,000; McDonough’s salary was listed at $120,000.

“I appreciate the board’s support in making these very important appointments to our administrative team,” incoming Superintendent Daniel Castagna said in a statement. “With the board’s action this evening, we now have critical administrative positions in place for the start of the new year. Both Dr. Sable and Dr. McDonough bring with them a wealth of educational experiences and the energy we need to revitalize this school district.”

Sable replaces Julie Franczyk who was hired as principal at Carnegie Elementary School, in the Carlynton School District, in November. She was also tapped as Carlynton’s K-12 English Language Learner program coordinator.

“We do appreciate the work Dr. Franczyk, our outgoing assistant superintendent, has done on behalf of the students and families of the Chartiers Valley School District, and we wish her well in her new position,” said Board President Darren Mariano.

Sable was previously Belle Vernon Area’s high school principal for five years. Before that, he was a teacher, coach and administrator in the West Mifflin Area School District for more than 15 years.

McDonough, of Monroeville, is the second Woodland Hills administrator to join Chartiers Valley in recent months. Superintendent Castagna was hired in the same position at Chartiers Valley in October for a five-year term beginning Jan. 6.

McDonough spent 20 years of her career at Woodland Hills, starting as a high school teacher, then becoming assistant principal of Edgewood Elementary STEAM Academy, and then back at Woodland Hills High School as assistant principal.

“It was an opportunity to join a prestigious school district where I feel I can use my experiences, abilities and passion to collaborate with the stakeholders here to advance the district to the next level,” McDonough said after the meeting.

She said she was looking forward to meeting students and giving them a voice in their school, and “improving school through their lens.”

“I will work tirelessly for the stakeholders of the Chartiers Valley School District,” she said.

Mariano said the board was thrilled to hire McDonough and promote Sable.

“(McDonough’s) experience in education, commitment to student success, and innovative leadership make her an exceptional choice to replace Dr. Sable who will be moving into the assistant superintendent role,” Mariano said in a statement. “We are confident that their vision and dedication will help elevate our schools and continue to make a positive impact on our students, staff and community.”

Castagna, Sable, McDonough and assistant high school principal Timothy Joyce all start their new roles in January.

Updates

During the public comment portion of the Dec. 3 meeting, six people criticized recent board decisions including the district seeking proposals to possibly outsource its transportation department, opening all football coaching positions and what they said was a lack of transparency from the district.

“We know the level of dedication, the hours these coaches spend for our kids and the time away from their family and the commitment to the community,” said parent Autumn Powell. “This is just another bad decision that would impact our kids, along with a decision that was made in regards to the bus drivers that we love.”

Another parent, Tim Zeliesko, said the board should use its leverage and leadership to improve its schools and further its reputation.

“Coaches, like bus drivers, are part of the fabric of our schools — shaping students’ lives, fostering team spirit and providing mentorship,” he said. “Outsourcing these roles sends a message that their contributions are not valued.”

District officials said previously that no decision has been made on the outsourcing of bus drivers, but rather its move Nov. 26 explores all options. They said factors leading to seek outside proposals include rising operations costs, labor shortages and challenges of maintaining an in-house transportation program.

Castagna said that because the bus drivers are district employees, the situation is a personnel matter which makes it challenging for what board members can and can’t say publicly.

“It puts the board in a difficult situation when you talk about personnel matters, so you can’t respond to some of the things you’re saying because they have to protect the district,” he said during the meeting. “So it is difficult; it does look like a one-sided conversation, but it happens all the time in every area of personnel that the board is in.”

“… I also think it’s important that they are simply looking to see numbers and compare. If the numbers don’t make sense, nothing is going to happen.”

Reorganization

The board also reorganized for the upcoming year.

Mariano was reappointed board president in an 5-3 vote. He voted for himself, as did Louise Huehn, Kate Drury, Jeff Choura and Herb Ohliger. The other candidate nominated was Mitch Montani, who only received votes from himself, Lisa Trainor and Megan Sexton. Ed Brosky was not at the meeting.

Louise Huehn was named vice president; she, Mariano, Choura, Drury and Ohliger voted for her. Montani, Sexton and Trainor voted for Trainor.

Rebecca Heaton Hall, of Weiss, Burkhardt and Kramer, was retained as the district’s solicitor in an 8-0 vote.