Pittsburgh Public Schools board approves new superintendent's contract
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The Pittsburgh Public Schools board voted unanimously to approve the contract of its new superintendent.
Dr. Wayne Walters, the interim superintendent, was chosen to fill the role permanently. He will serve a term of five years from Aug. 1, 2022 through July 31, 2027 with a salary of $260,000 and annual increases.
The district said the contract includes 25 vacation days, 15 sick days and two personal days and addresses issues raised under Former Superintendent Dr. Anthony Hamlet, prohibiting relationships with for-profit educational and technology companies.
Former Superintendent Dr. Anthony Hamlet resigned after a two-year probe found he committed ethics violations with expenses and time off for trips. Hamlet was also a paid consultant to a company called ERDI, a Chicago-based company that hosts private meetings between the executives of EdTech companies and ERDI's roster of paid educators like Hamlet.
On Wednesday, the board was also set to vote on proposed changes to the bell schedule. District leaders are hoping to change start times so that all students can be home no later than 4 p.m. The district thinks this will better address the needs of all students, improve academic achievement and boost operations.
The board also wanted to exit the pilot stage of a program that uses cameras to catch drivers passing stopped buses. If approved, the program would be implemented for five years on all district buses.
