Swanson said she cried when she turned in her notice to Superintendent Leslie Estep, noting she didn’t want to leave the district, but felt it was the best decision for her family to take a pay cut and work for the New Day Charter School’s brick and mortar location in Huntingdon as its business manager — a role she’s held in addition to the job at Tyrone since February.

Swanson’s daughter, Aliyah, is on the autism spectrum and needs more support at home, she said, noting she’ll be home by 4:30 p.m. every day to help her daughter more regularly instead of attending several late-evening meetings, something the business administrator job at Tyrone requires regularly.

“It’s for my family to help (my daughter); to keep her going in a positive direction instead of spiraling,” Swanson said of why she’s leaving the district.

The district has interviewed for the position twice, according to Swanson, who said two candidates were interviewed the first time and one candidate was interviewed the second time, after the position was initially offered to one of the first-round candidates, who declined the offer.

Business administrator Faith Swanson (right) sits next to Superintendent Leslie Estep during a May 12 Tyrone Area School Board meeting. Mirror photo by Matt Churella

The school board is actively working to fill the position and is hopeful to do that in June, Estep said, adding that while Swanson’s departure leaves a void in the district’s administrative team, school officials wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavors.

“Faith has been dedicated to the Tyrone Area School District and has been committed to seeing the district through, not only the budgeting process, but also in assisting in the preparation of the 2025-26 financial audit and the transition process with her replacement,” Estep said.

Swanson is more of a “put your head down and get to work” person than a “let’s sit around and talk about it” person, Estep said.

When Swanson was hired by the district in 2021, her goals at the time were to streamline processes and improve transparency within the district, something Estep said she’s successfully achieved.

“Fortunately, Faith took the financial reins in a place that is fiscally stable, but she has streamlined some processes and procedures that needed updating and organized a number of grants and reports that needed attention,” Estep said.

School district veteranSwanson started her career at the Bellwood-Antis School District from 2000 to 2014 as its payroll clerk, before becoming the district’s tax collector and later serving as an assistant for human resources and business operations.

It was during her time at Bellwood-Antis that Swanson obtained her bachelor’s of business administration from Penn State University — in May 2007 — and her master’s of education in school business leadership from Wilkes University in December 2012.

“I did that part-time as an adult,” Swanson said of obtaining her bachelor’s degree. “It takes a little bit longer, but I think it’s better that way sometimes. It worked better for me.”

Swanson said she enjoyed learning from her work experience and studies at the same time.

After leaving Bellwood-Antis, Swanson worked at the Northern Cambria School District for a year as its interim business manager before she was hired in 2015 at Huntingdon Area School District, where she remained until joining Tyrone Area.

Although Swanson is a proud Bellwood-Antis graduate, she said she loves Tyrone Area because of the district’s programs, noting it’s one of the few districts that has a day care and early intervention program.

“There’s a lot of great things going on, and I don’t know that everybody always realizes the programming we have in Tyrone,” Swanson said. “I think this is an awesome school to work for, and I really had no intention of leaving. Life changes sometimes.”

Swanson said there will be some overlap with the next business administrator, as well as some likely paid mentorship through the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials.

Learning the job will take time and she’ll encourage the next administrator to learn one thing at a time, Swanson said, noting the state’s mandates and laws change frequently.

“You can’t look at the whole picture or you will become overwhelmed,” Swanson said of advice she’d offer to her successor. “Even going from one district to another, you’ve got to get through a year or two-year cycle before you really know the job. You’re always learning.”

Work-life balance

Outside of work, Swanson enjoys gardening with her husband, Ken, as well as attending Penn State wrestling and football events.

Although she’s admittedly not the best golfer in the world, Swanson said she enjoys an occasional game of golf, too.

“I only learned to golf because of this position,” Swanson said, noting she’s attended several golf outings while at Tyrone, which were not only good for networking, but for learning opportunities as well, she said.

Swanson said she also enjoys spending time with her five grandchildren — Blake, Bodie and Bailey Shiffler and Sadie and Annie McCall.

“They come to our house and swim,” Swanson said. “Our neighbors have horses and goats, so we take them up there to play with them.”

Swanson said she’ll miss the people she worked with at Tyrone Area more than anything.

“These people have been like a family to me here,” she said. “We support each other personally and they’re great to work with.”

Lisa Golden, Tyrone Area’s longtime payroll clerk whose desk is near Swanson’s office, is also leaving the district soon, with her retirement approaching at the end of June. Pam Hollen, formerly of Saint Francis University, was hired to succeed Golden in her role, Estep said, noting Golden has more than 35 years of experience in the district’s business office and is both a great coworker and friend to many.

“I’m going to really miss Lisa,” Swanson said. “She is very golden.”

Upon hearing of Swanson’s resignation back in February, Golden reportedly told her, “You weren’t supposed to go before me.”

“She was really concerned initially because at the time we didn’t have someone to fill her position,” Swanson said.

Golden said Swanson is “easy to work with” and they get along well.

“I’ll miss talking with you every day,” Golden told Swanson.

“I think your husband is ready for you to be home every day,” Swanson replied.

“No, he’s not. But I’m ready to be home every day,” Golden said.

Swanson said Hollen seems to have a good handle on payroll in general and reiterated she will assist with the new business administrator’s transition in any way possible.

“At least through our audit, I will assist in any way that’s needed moving forward because I want this position to succeed and the person to succeed in this position,” Swanson said.

Mirror Staff Writer Matt Churella is at 814-946-7520.

The Swanson file

Name: Faith Swanson

Age: 49

Hometown: Bellwood

Family: Husband, Ken; daughter, Aliyah, 20; son, Eli, 18; grandchildren: Blake, Bodie and Bailey Shiffler and Sadie and Annie McCall

Education: Bachelor’s of business administration from Penn State University, May 2007; master’s of education in school business leadership, Wilkes University, December 2012.

Career: Bellwood-Antis School District; Northern Cambria School District; Huntingdon Area School District; Tyrone Area School District; New Day Charter School, Huntingdon.

Hobbies: Gardening, golfing and attending Penn State football and wrestling events