Fox Chapel Area School Board has an accomplished new member

A former Los Angeles educator turned Fox Chapel resident was appointed the school district’s newest board member.

Fox Chapel Area’s school directors unanimously voted at a special meeting April 29 to appoint Jessica Haselkorn to a seat left vacant by the departure of Kimberly Andrews.

Andrews resigned from her Region III post April 8. She had been on the board since December 2021 and had two years remaining on her latest term. Her seat will be on the November 2025 ballot.

Region III covers all of Aspinwall and Blawnox as well as Wards 1 and 5 of O’Hara and Districts 1 and 3 of Fox Chapel.

Haselkorn was selected out of six candidates.

“I’m excited. I’m ready to get to work,” she said after the appointment. “We have some big meetings coming up very quickly. I’ve got some homework to do and (will be) ready to hit the road.

“I love education and I want to help support the community. It’s like community service to me. I have a pretty lengthy background in education and can quickly come up to speed with what the board’s been working on. I’ve been following closely over the past few years. … I’m humbled and grateful for the opportunity to serve.”

People can recap the interview process and board appointment on the school district’s YouTube page.

Board President Marybeth Dadd said after the meeting that Haselkorn’s educational experience set her apart from the other contenders.

“We were so pleased to have six very qualified candidates come forward and apply for this position,” Dadd said. “Dr. Haselkorn’s education and professional experience in the field of education stood out to me. She has been engaged in our schools as a volunteer and has an excellent understanding of what the board has been working on over the last few years. I think she will be a stellar addition to our board, and I look forward to working with her.”

Haselkorn is an active PTO volunteer at O’Hara Elementary School and served on the district’s strategic planning committee. She also is a Girl Scout troop leader.

She and her husband, Lee, have two children in the district.

The resume

Haselkorn has a doctorate in instruction and learning from the University of Pittsburgh, a master’s in secondary education from Loyola Marymount University and a bachelor’s in political science from the University of California.

She began her career about 20 years ago as a secondary social studies teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District in California.

Haselkorn was an instructional coach for Victory Education Partners in New York, a director of academics and building principal for New York City Charter High School for Architecture, Engineering & Construction Industries.

She also served as managing director, director of leader development and director of 9-12 curriculum and assessment for Lighthouse Academies, a national network of charter schools.

She currently works as an independent educational consultant. She has worked with student teachers at Pitt and helped people within the U.S. Defense Department.

“(Education) is the key to a person’s future,” Haselkorn said. “A really excellent education has the potential to change someone’s entire life trajectory. I’m a huge proponent of quality public education. Every kid deserves to have an excellent experience where they learn and thrive in their classrooms.

“I think Fox Chapel Area School District has a long history of providing a great experience for our students. We just have to make sure that keeps happening for every student and every family in our district.”