The Pittsburgh Public Schools board will announce the hiring of its new superintendent this afternoon, according to a press release from the district.
During an agenda review meeting on Wednesday, Board President Sala Udin referenced the need for a “reset” period after the new superintendent is selected and, in the same sentence, mentioned interim superintendent Wayne Walters.
After the meeting, however, Udin said his reference did not confirm that Walters would fill the top job permanently. When asked to elaborate, Udin replied: “Stay tuned.”
The reference to the pending superintendent pick came up during a discussion about the district’s use of a rewards system as a preventative measure for disruptive student behaviors known as PBIS — positive behavior interventions and supports.
Board member Pam Harbin questioned the use of the token system and said it doesn’t address the root cause of disruptive behavior but rather rewards students who might have done well regardless. It sparked a discussion on whether the system was working.
Udin said the discussion would be important as the district began a reset period and “the start of a new journey by a new superintendent.” He said that the board was responsible for setting the agenda for the new leader and that committee chairs should take up the responsibility of solving discipline and other issues.
“And I hope that the reset period and Dr. Walters’ goals for the first 30 or 60 or 90 days can help us to reset our work in terms of how we solve some of these problems. It’s not enough just to lay the problem on the table. We have to figure out how we’re going to solve them, who’s going to take what role and who’s going to get it done,” Udin said during the meeting Wednesday.
After the meeting, Udin said that he was referencing Walters’ in his role as interim superintendent and that Walters had been working on a “reset plan” that he would pass along to the next superintendent.
“I didn’t make a reference to the new superintendent. I made a reference to a reset period — that’s true,” Udin said Wednesday after the meeting. “The new superintendent will be charged with a reset strategy for the district. I mean, there’s a lot of things that have to be reset, so when we talk to the superintendent about his tasks, it will be about how we reset the district.”
Udin said there are issues with staff morale, academic performance and the special education program. The board has said that the candidate pool will remain anonymous until the final selection is made. Walters has not said publicly if he applied for the job.
Walters has led the district in an interim capacity since October 2021,when former Superintendent Anthony Hamlet stepped down. Hamlet’s departure came shortly after an investigation found that he had violated state ethics rules by accepting improper travel reimbursements. The board had renewed Hamlet’s contract for five years. Hamlet received one year’s salary and benefits amounting to nearly $400,000.
The board began a nationwide search in March after hiring Illinois-based BWP & Associated to lead the search.The Pittsburgh Foundation and the R.K Mellon Foundation funded the $60,000 search,signaling a shift in the relationship between the district and local philanthropies.
The consulting group’s Kevin Castner said earlier this month that the board was in talks with one of the five finalists that BWP had presented to the board. At the time, Udin would not confirm that the board was in talks with one candidate. Udin said, though, that his goal was to hire a superintendent before schools opened in August.
In late June, several students and teachers asked the board to hire Walters. An Obama Academy teacher and parent of two PPS students, Barak Naveh, said the district is at a crossroads that Walters can navigate. Naveh worked under Walters when he oversaw Obama as principal until being promoted in 2017.
“We need someone who knows what it is like to be a teacher and administrator in this district," Naveh said in June. "[Walters] knows this district inside and out and will always be transparent and well-intentioned. He is the right candidate in every way, and it is my hope that we don’t miss this opportunity just because the ideal candidate is already part of our district.”
Some criticized the search process, though, saying its short timeline didn’t lend to meaningful community input. Community forums were announced a week before they were held. But the consulting group argued that the district tried to get the word out and made meetings convenient to attend by holding them throughout the city.
The board waited to begin the search for a consulting firm until board members elected in November began their work on the board in December.
