Penn Cambria hires new school chief
Unanimous choice, Hartline will return to home district
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CRESSON -- A Hollidaysburg Area School District elementary principal will succeed Bill Marshall as Penn Cambria's superintendent upon Marshall's July 1 retirement.
During a special meeting Monday night, the Penn Cambria School Board of Directors unanimously appointed Jamie Hartline as the district's director of pupil services, a temporary position that will allow Hartline to work with Marshall and learn the ins and outs of the position.
Hartline currently serves as the principal at Foot of Ten Elementary School in Duncansville. The Hollidaysburg Area School District can hold him to that role for 60 days before he can begin to work at Penn Cambria, he said, which will see him start in the beginning of April.
Hartline will be paid a prorated salary of $112,000 plus all benefits provided within his superintendent contract until he officially takes on the role Aug. 1.
As superintendent, he will receive a rate of $117,000 for a five-year term, per the terms and conditions of his contract.
Hartline, a 1995 graduate of Penn Cambria, said he's eager to get started. He obtained his bachelor's degree in elementary education from Slippery Rock University and his principal certification from Saint Francis University.
He currently serves as chairman of the Washington Township Supervisors in Cambria County, but he said he will be stepping down from the role to be Penn Cambria's superintendent.
Hartline has one child currently in the district and two daughters who were prepared for success when they graduated from the district. He said he hopes to continue the "hometown atmosphere" of pride when he starts.
"I'm looking forward to the sense of pride that is here at Penn Cambria and being able to make sure that continues during my time as superintendent here," Hartline said.
Marshall said he thinks Hartline is "more than qualified" to succeed him in the role of superintendent since he's a district resident, parent and an administrator at another district.
Since there were no internal bids for the position when the search to find Marshall's replacement began in October, the board contracted Emery D'Arcangelo, an independent educational consultant from Windber, who met with a group of stakeholders to narrow down the candidates.
Marshall said he was the high school principal and had internal knowledge of the district when he became superintendent. Without having an in-house candidate, Marshall said he is pleased that Hartline already has a foundation to prepare him for success in the district.
"Jamie knows a lot of the employees; he knows the building structure; he knows the philosophy and goals of the district, so it's the next best thing to having an internal candidate," Marshall said.
Both Hartline and Marshall said they were grateful the school board allowed for the three-month overlap between themselves to ensure the transition runs smoothly.
Mirror Staff Writer Matt Churella is at 814-946-7520.