Allegheny Valley School District seeking to fill school director position

Applications from those interested in filling a vacancy on the Allegheny Valley School Board are due by Wednesday.

The district is looking for a resident to replace board member James Gaschler Jr., who resigned effective Monday. The board approved his resignation Aug. 17.

Gaschler resigned because he moved or is moving out of the district, Solicitor Matt Hoffman said.

Gaschler was a 19-year-old senior at Springdale Junior-Senior High School when he first ran for the school board in 2015. He was elected to his second term in November 2019.

“He was one of the younger members of the board, and he gave a different perspective many times,” district spokeswoman Jan Zastawniak said.

Whoever is appointed to replace Gaschler will hold the seat until December 2023, and the seat will be up for election in November that year, Hoffman said.

The seat will not be on this November’s ballot because Gaschler’s resignation date is less than 60 days from the Nov. 2 general election, Hoffman said.

Applicants must send an email explaining why they would make an ideal board member to the School Board President Larry Pollick at lpollick@avsd.k12.pa.us and Superintendent Patrick Graczyk at pgraczyk@avsd.k12.pa.us.

To be eligible, applicants must be 18 years old, a resident of the district for a year prior to the November municipal election and have no record of conviction for any felony offense or any misdemeanor offense.

The school board’s planning session is scheduled for 7 p.m. Sept. 14, and its regular meeting is set for 7 p.m. Sept. 21.

For more information, visit avsdweb.org.