Leechburg Area board appoints new interim superintendent, who also will find a permanent replacement

After eight years, Leechburg Area School District is getting new leadership, albeit in a temporary role.

The school board voted 6-3 Wednesday to hire Peter Emery D’Arcangelo as acting superintendent. He will temporarily replace Superintendent Tiffany Nix, who will be leaving for Penn-Trafford early next month.

D’Arcangelo served as superintendent in the Franklin Regional School District from 2004 through 2015, when he retired. Since then, he has worked as a superintendent search consultant — duties that Leechburg Area has also hired him to perform.

It was a standing room only as more than 50 residents crammed into the high school library to listen to the new interim Solicitor Gary Matta discuss the hiring.

Matta said D’Arcangelo will be paid $100 per hour, including travel time to and from his residence, up to $500 per day barring any unusual circumstances.

Additionally, the board voted 6-3 to hire D’Arcangelo to handle the superintendent search at a pay rate of $100 per hour, not to exceed $10,500, Matta said.

All board members were in attendance. Board members Darius Lovelace, Candi Stewart and Melanie Knight voted no on both superintendent votes.

During the meeting, the board did not provide a start date, professional background or additional information about D’Arcangelo.

D’Arcangelo was not in attendance.

Stewart said it’s a difficult topic. She raised concerns that the board only had two names to choose from, both provided by Matta.

“I’m still just concerned that maybe we didn’t look at enough possibilities,” Stewart said. “It’s a very, very important job for this person. I don’t know if we checked out enough candidates.”

Matta said the board interviewed at least two candidates, and two other prospects declined interviews.

Matta said he provided choices based on the board’s direction.

Nix said Wednesday she was never included in any board business related to finding her replacement.

“I was not a part of the process, so I have no comment,” Nix said.

Principal David Kiebler spoke during public comment in support of the new acting superintendent.

“The voters in this election voted for change,” Kiebler said. “Change is hard and takes time. It’s necessary to obtain greatness.”

He suggested that the community give the board time.

“Let them work with one another. Get off Facebook and listen with open ears,” Kiebler said. “We need to heal the community.”

Nix’s last day at Leechburg is Feb. 9, and she is scheduled to start at Penn-Trafford on Feb. 12.

Nix was unanimously hired by the Penn-Trafford School Board on Dec. 20.