Fox Chapel Area School District deputy superintendent gets new 4-year deal

Fox Chapel Area School District officials approved a new contract with its deputy superintendent despite pushback from several residents and board members.

David P. McCommons sat quietly through the March 13 school board meeting in which school directors voted 6-3 in favor of a four-year deal with the him.

Board Vice President Ronald Frank and School Directors Eric Hamilton, Kimberly Andrews, Amy Cooper, Katie Findley and Adam Goode voted in favor of the contract. Board president Marybeth Dadd and School Directors Vanessa Lynch and Ariel Zych opposed it.

McCommons declined an interview following the board meeting and did not respond to further messages and an email seeking comment as of press time March 16.

The new deal begins in July 1 and runs through June 30, 2027. McCommons current salary is $219,148, where it is expected to remain at least through the next school year.

The district serves 4,158 students.

Several residents, including John Klamut, Natalie Gillespie and Anne Houston encouraged the board to not approve McCommons’ deal, claiming he is overpaid.

Klamut encouraged the board to grant a one-year contract and take its time before awarding a longer-term contract.

“Put the ‘franchise tag’ on him,” Klamut said, using an NFL term. “More than one year is too big a risk.”

The board had discussed McCommons’ employment at its January meeting and approved agreement to allow more time to consider a new deal.

Hamilton said McCommons was an essential part of the district’s success through the pandemic and for at least the past decade.

He noted that Superintendent Mary Catherine Reljac highly recommended McCommons be kept on the administrative team.

“It is very difficult for me, as a manager myself, to imagine meeting the goals and high expectations of a board, and then to have that team undermined by the board or by my supervisor,” Hamilton said.

Lynch said she felt opposing the contract was not undermining the administration.

“I don’t think we’re undermining the authority of anybody in our school district to have disagreement. Robust disagreement is what makes good government,” she said.

”I think it’s OK for us to sometimes disagree with our superintendent. I think that’s what the board is for. I think that is why there are nine of us elected to sit here, to actively have those conversations.”

Reljac declined to comment after the meeting about why she recommended McCommons or why a new deal was warranted. She said those statements were “with the board.”

Dadd declined to explain why she voted against the superintendent’s recommendation.

Zych left the meeting before any questions could be asked. During the meeting, she thanked the more than 50 members of the community who emailed her about the issue.

“It takes real work to write emails,” she said. “It seems silly, but it really does. Especially on issues that we care about that are personal to us and relate to matters such as these, which are close to our heart.”

Several attempts to obtain a copy of McCommons’ contract were unsuccessful as of press time.

Frank recalled his time years ago as teachers’ union president sitting across the table from McCommons during negotiations.

“Quite often we did not see eye to eye, but I found his presentations and his arguments to be well-reasoned and always prepared,” Frank said.

Frank was also complimentary of McCommons’ leadership during the pandemic.

Frank noted McCommons’ contract was reduced from five years to four, and there were at least a dozen other adjustments that made the deal more palatable.

“Dr. Reljac gave him a very high recommendation, and his ratings over the last 14 years have been distinguished. It’s the highest you can get.”

McCommons’ background

McCommons has been with the district since 2007 and has been deputy superintendent since March 2017.

He served as assistant to the superintendent at Ellwood City Area School District prior to coming to Fox Chapel.

McCommons has a master’s in education from Bowie State University in Maryland and a doctorate of education from the University of Pittsburgh.

Superintendent study

McCommons makes more than a lot of superintendents across the country, according to a report from the School Superintendents Association, AASA.

It released a study earlier this month involving superintendent salaries.

The overall mean salary for superintendents is $156,469, the AASA’s 11th annual Superintendent Salary & Benefits Study found. The report was compiled from responses of nearly 2,450 AASA members nationwide. Of those respondents, 150 were from Pennsylvania.