The Penn Hills School District this week approved a contract with a veteran educator to serve as the district’s next superintendent.
John Mozzocio was appointed to the top spot in an 8-1 vote during a special meeting Wednesday. School director Devon Goetze voted against the motion.
“It is with great pleasure [that I] accept the role of superintendent in the Penn Hills School District,” Mr. Mozzocio said during the meeting. “I want to thank the board of directors for this opportunity to be part of this illustrious community. I value the great pride and tradition that Penn Hills holds.”
Mr. Mozzocio will assume the role in January with a starting salary of $178,000.
He is taking over for Dawn Golden, who has been serving as interim superintendent since August when former Superintendent Nancy Hines retired.
Mr. Mozzocio has more than 20 years of experience in public education and currently serves as the director of pupil services and special programs supervisor at the New Castle Area School District in Lawrence County. In that role Mr. Mozzocio oversees special education services and student programs, while supervising a number of staff members. He also spearheaded the development of new programming through competitive grant writing.
Prior to that, Mr. Mozzocio served as a school building principal, a math and reading coach and a special education teacher. He also taught as an adjunct professor at Slippery Rock University’s College of Education.
In an interview with the Post-Gazette, Mr. Mozzocio said that “New Castle and Penn Hills have similar demographic and socio economics. It’s where I feel most comfortable leading.” He noted that his prior work allowed him to gain experience in special education and in mental health and support systems “so I will ensure that we are being efficient and fiscally responsible in all of these areas.”
Mr. Mozzocio earned his doctorate in education from Youngstown State University in 2021. He received his master's degree from Slippery Rock University and his bachelor’s degree from Clarion University.
“We can’t wait for Dr. Mozzocio to start and bring Penn Hills all together,” board president Erin Vecchio said in a statement. “He has a great resume and we’re so looking forward to him giving us all new ideas, and I know that he will work great with the administration that we have.”
During his speech on Wednesday, Mr. Mozzocio laid out three priorities moving forward: improve the culture for students and staff to ensure a safe and welcoming environment, increase student achievement by taking a student-centered approach, enhance public relations to showcase “the great things happening in the district” and engage with outside stakeholders.
His initial plan, he said, is to meet with administrative groups and teachers to conduct an overall assessment on the district culture and curriculum to see where they need to focus the Penn Hills vision and mission.
“I’m excited,” Mr. Mozzocio said. “I’m ready to hit the ground running and I can’t wait to forge relationships with everybody involved in the Penn Hills community.”
First Published: November 9, 2023, 8:23 p.m.
Updated: November 9, 2023, 11:12 p.m.