New superintendent named for Boyertown School District
Dana T. Bedden brings 24 years of experience in education
BOYERTOWN » After a year-long search, a new superintendent will soon lead the Boyertown Area School District.
The school board voted 6-3 on Tuesday, July 24, to appoint Dana T. Bedden as the new superintendent, hiring him for five years at an annual salary of $185,000.
Among the no votes was board member Christine Neiman, who cited a disagreement with the vacation and life insurance packages that she had also opposed for a previous superintendant hire. Also dissenting was Ruth Dierolf, who noted that although she believed Bedden has the credentials for the position, she did not agree with the process the board used for the selection which she called “rushed.”
The third dissenting board member was Clay Breece, who stated that he believed Bedden was overqualified for the position, noting that Bedden had experience in significantly larger school districts.
But the majority of board members liked what they saw in Bedden.
“After an extensive recruitment, interview and vetting process, we are confident that Dr. Bedden is the leader to move our district forward and we anticipate a long and successful journey with him,” said board President Donna Usavage.
Bedden, 51, comes to Boyertown Area School District with more than 24 years of experience in administrative and educational leadership having earned his doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He also holds a master’s degree in educational administration from Pennsylvania State
University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida.
In addition, he has also completed post-doctoral courses in School Business Leadership at Wilkes University and attended Harvard University Graduate School of Education’s Leadership Institute for Superintendents.
Bedden previously worked as superintendent for Richmond Public Schools and Irving Independent School District in Texas.
Bedden currently works as the chief executive officer of a private consulting group with teams specializing in education, government and public/private sector service.
“I enjoy and relish when our students walk across the stage and they don’t know their superintendent by a picture on the wall or a news story but they actually know me from interacting with me and seeing me interact with them,” said Bedden. “I assure you my first thought will always be ‘students first.’ I assure you that my next thought will be, ‘How do we make sure the staff are equipped to serve students?’
Bedden will begin as superintendent on Aug. 24 with a contract extending into June 2023.
The district’s previous superintendent, Richard Faidley, left in July 2017, to take the top post in the Wilson School District in western Berks County.
The school board had offered the superintendent’s job to an administrator from western Pennsylvania in April, but he turned the job down at the last minute when his current employer offered him a raise and a contract extension.
Former Pottstown School District superintendent David Krem has been serving as interim superintendent in Boyertown for the past year.