Kiski Area is the latest school district in Westmoreland County searching for a new superintendent, as Misty Slavic announced she will step aside after more than two years leading the district.
School board members were informed Monday with a 90-day notice. In an email to TribLive, Slavic attributed her resignation to a job offer her husband received in New York.
“After many years of my husband taking all five of our children to all of their school activities, making dinner every night and supporting me through many challenging times in my career, he deserves this next step,” Slavic said.
Slavic added the decision is unrelated to the school board or district, where she had intended to serve out her career. She plans to take another education role in New York.
Todd Sterlitz, Kiski Area School Board president, credited Slavic as the driving force behind improvements at the intermediate school. He described their relationship as “wonderful.”
“She’s a very good superintendent, and I have a lot of respect for her,” Sterlitz said. “I’m sorry to see her go.”
The school board hired Slavic on a three-year contract in August 2021 at a starting salary of $153,000, now up to $164,000. She is the first woman to hold the district’s top post.
Before joining Kiski Area, she worked as an administrator for Chartiers Valley School District. Her other stops in Western Pennsylvania included New Kensington-Arnold, Burgettstown and Freedom Area school districts.
School board members and Slavic didn’t always see eye to eye. In February, the board voted 7-2 to kill a Slavic-backed plan to realign administrator duties and increase their pay.
“I think board members a couple weeks ago weren’t quite ready for that type of change,” Sterlitz said. “I don’t think there’s any hard feelings.”
Slavic’s resignation was listed among the items on the preliminary school board agenda items that were approved Wednesday night to act on during Monday’s school board meeting.
There was no discussion about it, although a few board members commented on it at the end of the meeting and afterward.
“I’ll tell you what, my heart is hurting,” board member John Shaner said. “This school district is losing somebody really great. I want to wish you the best.”
“I’m very saddened,” board member Jenna Rowe said. “I think she had done a really good job for our school district.
“She is very talented, and she is going to do even bigger things in the future,” Rowe added.
Kathy Snyder, the longest tenured board member, said, “We appreciate Dr. Slavic’s service to our district and the positive changes she has made to our district during her tenure.”
She echoed what Sterlitz said regarding any negative effect the defeat of Slavic’s proposed administrative realignment might have had on her relationship with the board.
“None whatsoever,” Snyder said. “I think what we were dealing with at that time was some miscommunication.”
“I think the entire board has a very positive view of Dr. Slavic and her time at Kiski,” Snyder said.
Other recent superintendent departures
Westmoreland County has seen a recent spate of superintendent departures.
Superintendents at two of the county’s largest districts — Hempfield Area’s Tammy Wolicki and Norwin’s Jeff Taylor — announced in January they would be leaving their positions.
In December, Tiffany Nix announced her resignation as Leechburg Area School District’s superintendent. She now is assistant superintendent in Penn-Trafford School District.
Almost 35% of all superintendents in Pennsylvania have changed jobs within the past two years, according to data from the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators.
Slavic said she feels “a profound sense of sorrow at the thought of leaving” the district, but also pride.
“I am deeply proud of the district and the incredible work that the staff and community contribute to the academic and personal well-being of our students,” Slavic said.
Jack Troy is a TribLive reporter. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in January 2024. He can be reached at jtroy@triblive.com.