Keystone Central Completes Superintendent Interviews; Decision Looming
MILL HALL – The Keystone Central School Board and the public Wednesday night heard from the final of three candidates seeking to become the district’s new superintendent. The board is now tasked with choosing a permanent replacement for Kelly Hastings whose time in the district officially ended earlier this month although she had not been in her office since December of last year.
Dr. John R. Mastillo was the final candidate to be heard in another sparsely attended public forum at the Central Mountain Middle School auditorium. Mastillo holds an undergraduate degree in elementary education from the University of Pittsburgh – Johnstown and a master of education and doctorate of education from Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas.
He served as Blacklick Valley School District superintendent from 2010 to June of last year. He served in a number of capacities at two Texas school districts from 1994 through 2010 and previously served as head wrestling coach and substitute teacher in the Greater Johnstown School District from 1990 to 1994.
Mastillo in his presentation Wednesday night put an emphasis on “building relationships” with the school community and the community at large. He offered a power-point presentation on a multi-faceted approach in working with: the school board, his organizational leadership team, instructional leadership (with emphasis on academic performance), community leadership inside and out of the school community, and assuring safe schools. He said it is imperative to establish “solid leadership teams,” first with the board and administration, then teachers, students and the community. A group effort is required, he said, to make sure all are “going in the same direction…to establish effective relationships with the stakeholders.”
Mastillo closed by saying he sees “a lot of opportunities” in Keystone Central and he would like to be part of the what he observed as “a desire to see progress in the district.”
School board members at the Wednesday hearing indicated there could be an announcement on a new superintendent as soon as the regularly scheduled April 5 board meeting. Several informally indicated the choice will be a difficult one. The district last week held public forums with the other two finalists, Dr. Stacy Winslow and Dr. Al Lononocus, the latter the district’s interim superintendent.
It was indicated Wednesday night the successful candidate would begin his or her service with the district July 1. The Mastillo forum was streamed live on therecord-online and will be archived for later viewing, as were the two previous forums. Dr. Winslow’s complete public interview can be viewed here: http://therecord-online.com/site/archives/41132
