HERMITAGE SCHOOLS Board's unanimous vote fills superintendent post

The assistant superintendent was the only applicant interviewed for the top post.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- Hermitage School Board made it official Wednesday, voting 8-0 to appoint Karen A. Ionta as the district's new superintendent of schools effective July 1.
Ionta will succeed Dr. Louis C. Mastrian, who served as superintendent for eight years. The board voted in December not to extend his contract, announcing it would open the job to applicants.
The board didn't have to look far for his successor.
Ionta, 48, joined the Hermitage School District in June 1998 as director of curriculum and instruction and special support services.
The board added the title of assistant superintendent to her job duties in September at a time when Mastrian was ill and school directors felt an assistant was necessary.
Twenty applicants: Ionta was one of 20 people who applied for the job of superintendent and the only one granted an interview by the board. School directors said afterward that she would be offered the job.
Ionta was given a five-year contract with a starting salary of $89,900 a year, up about $6,000 from her current salary.
Duane Piccirilli, board president, said Ionta insisted that she not be given any guarantee of additional raises but that future salary increases be based on performance and budgetary considerations.
"I'm absolutely overwhelmed by this show of support tonight," Ionta said after a crowd of about 90 people gave her a standing ovation following the board's vote. A number of her family and friends, including husband Domenic Ionta, superintendent of the Union Area School District in neighboring Lawrence County, were in the audience.
She thanked the board for the opportunity and praised Mastrian, who was seated at the head table with the board, for his leadership, guidance and support, calling him " a true gentleman."
The crowd and the board responded by giving Mastrian a standing ovation as well.
Ionta promised to give a "1 million percent" work effort every day and reminded everyone that the primary focus of the school system is children. That's why we're here, she said.
Issues: "We have tons of things to do," Ionta said after the meeting, noting there are administrative positions to be filled, a teacher contract to be negotiated, a high school building project to be completed and curriculum and staff development issues to be addressed.
Piccirilli said the first order of business will be to fill the position of director of curriculum and instruction and special support services. There won't be a new assistant superintendent, he said.
Permanently filling the posts of high school principal and assistant high school principal, the teacher contract and the high school renovation are also high on the list, he said.