First day on the job a 'moving time' for Mento

Montour schools - The name plate on the desk says Dr. Ronald Mento, but the new superintendent of the Montour School District didn't spend much of his first day sitting behind it.

Mento was still saying his first hellos to staff in the administrative office around 3 p.m. Monday while enjoying a piece of apple pie brought in celebration of an employee's birthday. By afternoon, he had not spent enough time in the administration office at Montour High School to know his way around or when the bells would ring.

John Mosimann, a retired Montour elementary school principal who stayed as an assistant to retired Superintendent Joseph Karlik, served as Mento's tour guide while he made visits to Ingram and Burkett elementary schools.

"We're still making our way around," Mento said. "I've got to see the operation, how it works and put names with faces. It's been interesting."

Mento, 52, is serving as acting superintendent until his three-year contract, paying $106,000 in the first year, begins July 1.

Mento's selection stirred anger and controversy among some residents in the district since the school board voted 5-2 on March 11 to hire him. Most of the opposition has been based upon Mento's tenure as superintendent of the embattled Duquesne School District from 1992 to 1999.

Although he claims to have received four threatening letters at his Beaver County home, Mento said his first day passed without incident and that he felt welcomed.

"I'm really pleased with the school district and the buildings I've seen so far, and the personnel," he said. "Everybody appears to be energetic and child-centered. That's what you need to have a highly effective school district."

Mento said his visits to the elementary schools included some introductions to the students.

"It's always a great feeling to be with the kids," he said.

Mento said the four anonymous letters, received over four consecutive days in the final week of March, were similar and generally threatened his safety. He said the letters have been turned over to "proper authorities," but would not say to what agency.

Mento said his plans for the remainder of the week include getting to the rest of the district's buildings, meeting as many people as he can and beginning to plan for the next school year. He said it will take some time to adjust coming from the Neshannock Township School District in Lawrence County, where the entire district was housed at one campus, to Montour, which includes three elementary schools, a middle school and a high school spread across five communities.

"It's a large district to try to physically get to all the buildings in one day," he said, adding that he won't let the distance get in the way. "I intend on being very visible and be a frequent visitor to all of the buildings. Visibility is extremely important so the staff understands you care about them and you care about their environment. I want people to give me their opinions and their suggestions."

Mento plans to evaluate and analyze all areas of the district before deciding if any changes are needed.

"I only care about the well being of the school district and the children," he said. "They are my only concerns."

While Mento has said he will keep an open door policy to district residents, his first public appearance is not expected until the next regular school board meeting on April 17.

Mento hopes the controversy surrounding his hiring will pass and that he will be able to build a relationship with the community.

"We're already on the business of educating students," he said. "That's what we'll continue to do."