After a 10-month search process, State College Area School District’s Board of Directors is expected to name a new superintendent on Monday. And they didn’t have to look very far.
The board will vote on a motion to approve Curtis Johnson as the district’s top administrator. A 20-year veteran of State College Area, Johnson has served as interim superintendent since June 2022 following superintendent Bob O’Donnell’s departure.
A proposed employment agreement included with the agenda for Monday’s school board meeting is for five years at a starting annual salary of $210,000 a year.
After earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Penn State, Johnson began his career counselor, behavior specialist and assistant principal in the Reading School District before going to State College Area in 2003 to become a grade-level principal. He later spent a year as assistant principal and five years as principal at State High before being named assistant superintendent of secondary schools in 2021, then interim superintendent in 2022.
“Mr. Johnson has a proven track record of listening, seeking to understand diverse viewpoints, fostering civil conversations and building consensus towards workable solutions,” Board President Jackie Huff wrote in a message to district families on Friday night. “As the State High principal, he led the transition of the staff and student body into our new high school building and shepherded a change in school climate and culture. In his time as interim superintendent, Mr. Johnson has used the talents of our administrative team to shape the ideals of the community-crafted strategic plan into actionable goals. Mr. Johnson’s student-centered approach to leadership will enhance our efforts toward serving every student, every day.”
SCASD worked with consulting firm Templeton Advantage on an eight-phase search process that yielded dozens of applicants and included extensive community input “to inform a rigorous interview process that sought a candidate that would fit our community’s criteria and possess the skills necessary to lead our district,” Huff wrote.
Johnson’s five-year priorities, also included with Monday’s agenda, addressed six goal areas, and included moving forward the district’s Future Ready Comprehensive Plan; climate, equity and inclusivity initiatives; employee and labor relations; community outreach and advocacy; making progress to improve district facilities; and developing structure and process for updating highest priority board policies.
“Mr. Johnson is uniquely qualified to lead our school district. We embrace the opportunity to continue our work with him as the superintendent of schools,” Huff wrote.
The board will meet at 7 p.m. on Monday in the Panorama Village Building.
