Superintendent Harris resigns, lands top job in another district
Leaves after three years to take position in western Pennsylvania
Daniel Boone Area School District Superintendent James P. Harris resigned Monday afternoon, Aug. 13, just hours before the start of a regularly scheduled school board meeting.
“I believe he has taken an appointment elsewhere, he didn’t give any specifics,” board President David Rathgeb said at the meeting, adding that the board wishes Harris well. “He helped the district in certain areas and each year here he got better in his duties.”
The school board unanimously accepted Harris’ resignation, effective Aug. 17. Harris did not attend the Aug. 13 meeting.
Harris’ future plans didn’t stay hidden for long. On Wednesday, Aug. 15, the Woodland Hills School Board voted unanimously to hire Harris as the next superintendent for the Allegheny County district, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
He will receive a three-year contract with a starting annual salary of $150,000 at his new job, the newspaper reported.
The Woodland Hills School District serves 12 municipalities near Pittsburgh and has an enrollment of about 4,000 students, the newspaper stated.
By contrast, the Daniel Boone Area School District serves about 3,500 students from Birdsboro and Amity and Union townships.
Harris was hired to lead the Daniel Boone schools in October 2015 at a starting annual salary of $140,000. His current contract
was set to expire on Oct. 31, 2018.
Harris publicly acknowledged in March that he was seeking another job and was a candidate for superintendent positions at school districts in Arkansas and Minnesota.
An Aug. 7 article the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette stated that Harris was one of two finalists for the superintendent job in the Woodland Hills School District.
In light of Harris’ departure, the school board unanimously voted to name Assistant Superintendent Robert Hurley as acting superintendent at a salary increase to $133,500. Hurley served in a similar capacity for several months in 2015 before Harris was hired as superintendent when then-Superintendent Marybeth Torchia resigned to take a job with the Boyertown Area School District.
The school board will vote on Aug. 27 on Act 93 (administrators and principals) salary adjustments.
Rathgeb said Harris recommended on Aug. 13 the administrator salary adjustments, but not for the building principals.
“I think it’s putting the cart before the horse,” said board member Jeffrey Scott, adding, “we have to know everyone’s increase.”
“The vote should be tabled until all of the numbers are in for the building principals.”
Board members approved 7-2 to table the vote.
In other business, Daniel Boone High School students will report for their first day of school on Monday, Aug. 27, said Principal Preston McKnight.
Students will receive school-issued Apple iPad’s, student pictures will be taken, and the school nurse will conduct student baseline height, weight, and BMI measurements.
Apple representatives will also be available to provide iPad support.
The board has received a request from a local church to rent use of the cafeteria and several first floor rooms of the former Birdsboro Elementary Center.
Masonry repairs at the building are scheduled to begin in the spring.
Board members agreed in June to proceed with Phase 1 of sealing, repointing, and replacing expansion joints at an estimated cost of $200,000.
Additional repairs will include restoring the gym, estimated at $403,000, and restoring the east and north (upper) facades of the classroom wing, estimated at $555,000.
Phase 2 repairs include restoring the rest of the classroom wing (west and south facades), estimated at $742,000.
Phase 3 repairs would be restoring the rest of the building (single story wings around the perimeter of the building), estimated at $694,000.