Chartiers Valley appoints interim superintendent, hires firm to help with search for replacement

Chartiers Valley has a plan in place as it searches for its next superintendent.

The school board on March 12 appointed Julie Franczyk as interim superintendent. Franczyk came to Chartiers Valley in 2018 as the Intermediate School Principal. She was named assistant superintendent in 2022.

Franczyk replaces Johannah Vanatta, who took a job as Blackhawk School District’s superintendent.

Franczyk has an undergraduate degree from California University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree and principal certification from St. Leo University in Florida. She previously worked at Peters Township and North Hills school districts.

Patricia Connolly was appointed director of finance and operations, and will absorb the superintendent’s responsibilities when it comes to finance and operations, said district spokeswoman Angela Conigliaro.

Connolly has been with Chartiers Valley since 2021. She has more than three decades in public education: working at Pittsburgh Public Schools for 14 years and the Allegheny Intermediate Unit for 19 years.

She earned a bachelor’s degree from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and has two master’s degrees — one from St. Francis University and the other from Wilkes University.

The move was unanimously approved by school directors. Board member Louise Huehn expressed appreciation for Franczyk and Connolly.

Board member Jeff Choura agreed and said the move is cost-effective for the district. Franczyk and Connolly will be paid a $2,000 monthly stipend for their additional duties. Franczyk’s annual salary is $125,050; Connolly’s is $124,656.

“We’re kind of making out as a school board here, because a number of school districts would go out and hire a retired superintendent, paying him or her $750 a day, so these two folks are doing that job and, over a long period of time, it’s costing us far less,” Choura said.

The board also voted 8-1, with board member Ed Brosky opposed, to hire Tom Templeton, of Templeton Advantage LLC, to conduct a superintendent search. Board President Darren Mariano said the board used Templeton’s services during the last superintendent search.

“In utilizing him, he’ll meet with the board to develop a description of our expectations, he’ll also come up with a timeline with guidelines, and as we did before, offer a variety of informational sessions with parents, employees and taxpayers to get their feedback as we search for our next leader,” Mariano said.