Highlands taps Freeport Area business manager as director of business affairs
The Highlands School Board on Tuesday hired a director of business affairs for a five-year term.
Bradley Walker of Leechburg will be responsible for directing and managing the yearly budget process, among other duties. A start date has not yet been determined.
Walker currently is the business office manager for Freeport Area School District, where he was hired in August 2021 at an annual salary of $107,000.
At Highlands, Walker takes the place of longtime employee Lori Byron, who retired in August. His starting salary will be $130,000.
“I am thankful for the opportunity to join the administrative team at Highlands to best serve the school district, community and all constituents,” Walker said.
He previously served four years as the business manager and human resources director with Leechburg Area School District and one year as the business manager for A.W. Beattie and Lenape Tech in a shared service agreement.
Walker earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Pittsburgh and a master’s in business administration from Robert Morris University.
The Highlands School Board hired Walker during a special meeting.
According to district officials, the role calls for preparing financial reports for the board; advising Superintendent Monique Mawhinney on district financial matters; managing payroll functions; analyzing and recommending periodic capital equipment requests; and managing contracts for transportation, facilities and food service, among other duties.
Walker will assist Mawhinney as the Right-to-Know officer.
He is eligible for salary increases of up to 3.5% each year.
In other news, the district’s social studies department is collecting personal care items for homeless veterans.
The Homeless Heroes Stocking project seeks toiletries such as shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes and holders, deodorant and bar soap, as well as washcloths, gloves and socks.
Anyone interested in donating can drop off items at any district school beginning Monday. Collections will run through Nov. 11.
According to the district, the items will be distributed to the nearly 2,500 homeless veterans in Western Pennsylvania.
Tawnya Panizzi is a TribLive reporter. She joined the Trib in 1997. She can be reached at tpanizzi@triblive.com.
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