Sex charges cost principal his job
The turnover in district administrators continued Thursday, starting with a temporary replacement for Valley Middle School Principal Kim Crummie.
The school board's unanimous decision to appoint Pat Nee as temporary middle school principal was met with resounding applause from the audience at Thursday's board meeting.
Nee, the school's assistant principal, began filling in for Crummie yesterday after the principal was instructed not to report for work.
Crummie, 51, was charged last Friday morning with indecent exposure and open lewdness when he allegedly exposed himself to an undercover Allegheny County police officer and offered to perform sex acts on the officer inside a Harrison Hills Park restroom.
Crummie was not present at Thursday's meeting nor was he ever mentioned by name. A phone message left last evening at his home in Pittsburgh's North Side was not returned.
Board President Beverly Meyer's dedication of a moment of silence to the Valley Middle School community was the meeting's only reference to the scandal.
Meyer and district Solicitor Anthony Vigilante indicated after the meeting that Crummie would not be returning to his position, although they would not elaborate on the circumstances of his departure.
"He is no longer in the school," Meyer said. "He will be leaving."
Meyer said the district will begin the interview process for a permanent replacement.
In a letter sent home to middle school parents on Thursday, Superintendent George Batterson said he did not learn of the accusations against Crummie until Wednesday evening, five days after Crummie's arrest.
"I want you to know that our school district considers these allegations to be very serious," Batterson wrote. "We will be conducting a thorough investigation.
"The allegations about our middle school principal do not indicate the involvement of any of our students or staff," Batterson's letter continued.
He said counselors were available on Thursday and will continue to be available for several days to talk to any children needing assistance.
"The safety of your children is our number one priority," Batterson concluded. "I want you to know that we are doing and will continue to do everything possible to protect them and to have a positive outcome from this unfortunate situation."
Other administrative moves
Crummie isn't the only administrator leaving New Kensington-Arnold.
The school board on Thursday also unanimously appointed new leaders for Valley High School to replace Principal Kellie Abbott and Assistant Principal Reginald Hickman, both of whom are leaving for other jobs.
Jon Banko was named the new high school principal and Jeffrey Thimons will be his assistant.
"They were outstanding," Batterson said of Banko and Thimons. "This is a very great opportunity for us."
Banko, 38, has spent his professional career at Southmoreland School District in southern Westmoreland and northern Fayette counties. He began as a teacher and worked his way up to assistant high school principal a year ago.
Banko received his master's and bachelor's degrees in education from California University of Pennsylvania. He lives in Baldwin with his wife and two children.
Banko acknowledged there's been some turmoil within the New Kensington-Arnold School District, but said it appeared everyone had the students' best interests at heart.
"In the end, everyone's pushing to the same goal," Banko said. "I'm going to do my very best for the kids."
Thimons lives in Natrona Heights and is a graduate of St. Joseph High School and Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.
He said he began his teaching career in Philadelphia and most recently served as an administrator at Penn Hills High School.
Banko will earn $88,000 annually and will begin on June 30. Thimons will earn $70,000 and will begin June 9.
Since Hickman will be leaving the district next week, the board agreed to hire Harold Andrews as an interim high school vice principal at a per diem rate of $375 from May 19 through June 5.
Hickman is leaving for Riverview Junior-Senior High School. Abbott, who will remain with the district through the end of the school year, will be going to the Pittsburgh Public Schools.
Also leaving at the end of the school year is Assistant Superintendent Joanne Cecchi, who is retiring following a career spanning more than three decades at New Kensington-Arnold.
Cecchi began teaching business education in 1976. She served as Valley High School principal before taking over the duties of federal grant coordinator and assistant superintendent in 1999.
Cecchi was moved to tears by the end of Thursday's meeting after she was treated to a standing ovation and compliments from the board, Abbott and teachers union President Regina Namey.
Batterson said the district will move soon to begin the interview process for Cecchi's replacement. He said he also hopes to hire a districtwide administrator who will oversee improving state assessment test scores.
Batterson acknowledged it will be a challenge to continue with so many new administrators, himself included. He said it will be an opportunity for individuals to make a substantial positive impact on the district.
"I'm very excited," he said.
