Chartiers Valley still looking for superintendent as candidate withdraws name

Deanna Fink and Michelle Jesko drove to the Chartiers Valley School Board meeting Tuesday from Saltsburg to watch the CV board consider action on hiring its superintendent, Philip Martell of the River Valley School District.

“We were excited he was going to move on from (River Valley),” Jesko said.

The trip was for nothing.

At the start of the packed meeting at the Intermediate School gym, district Solicitor Rebecca Hall said Martell had withdrawn his name from consideration. The audience of about 100 applauded.

Martell didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on withdrawing from consideration for the position.

The board was expected to vote during the meeting on hiring Martell as superintendent on a five-year contract from July 1 through June 30, 2029. His starting salary was supposed to be $204,000.

Another board motion, which also was withdrawn, was to consider hiring Martell as acting superintendent starting Wednesday and ending June 30.

Board president Darren Mariano did not comment directly on Martell withdrawing his name from consideration.

“I look forward to restarting the process and including more stakeholders in our decision-making,” Mariano said.

CV’s superintendent position had already been filled on a temporary basis by Assistant Superintendent Julie Franczyk and finance director Pat Connolly. Former Superintendent Johannah Vanatta resigned in February to become Blackhawk School District’s superintendent.

Vanatta’s final salary was just over $191,000 when her contract ended March 15, said district spokeswoman Angela Conigliaro. Vanatta’s starting salary in 2018 was $160,000.

Martell’s consideration for the position drew ire from some in the community.

Some were concerned with his prior history at the West Mifflin Area and Connellsville school districts.

At West Mifflin, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office launched an investigation surrounding Martell regarding his expense reports. The investigation was later dropped when Martell paid the money owed, reported to be $1,013, back.

The Fayette County District Attorney’s Office also investigated Martell for allegedly misappropriating funds while working for the Connellsville School District, the Daily Courier reported at the time. The newspaper reported that the district attorney let Martell resign and pay the $130 in restitution, to avoid prosecution.

Martell’s track record preceded him, said Colleen Marches, teacher and parent of three CV graduates.

Both Marches and Emily Marko, of Scott, were concerned with Martell’s lack of experience in the classroom.

“I don’t think it was a good choice,” Marko said. “… How is that the best they could find?”

She’s concerned about finding another candidate who might want to step into the district’s top job.

“It’s damaging our reputation,” Marko said.

According to his LinkedIn page, Martell has been River Valley’s superintendent since December 2020. He worked as a senior educational consultant for ABM Industries from December 2018 to December 2020.

He was Connellsville’s superintendent for just under three years and previously worked as director of finance for eight months at Connellsville and had a four-year stint in the same role at the Wilkinsburg School District.

He was West Mifflin Area School District’s assistant business manager and human resources director from May 2007 to December 2010.

It’s unclear how the Chartiers Valley board will proceed with hiring a superintendent.

“We’ll be keeping the public up to date on that process,” Hall said.

Marches said she hopes the district will hire someone who puts students first.

“We’re looking for someone who understands the need of the current student,” she said.

Marko agreed.

“It’s important whoever the superintendent is, works with the people here,” Marko said.