Penn Hills school directors appoint board vice president's wife to fill vacancy

Penn Hills School Board Vice President George Sens will be joined on the elected panel by a very familiar face: his wife.

Board members voted 4-2 at a special meeting Monday to appoint Jan Sens to fill the seat vacated by former President Denise Graham-Shealey. Graham-Shealey resigned in March to pursue social justice efforts.

Board President Erin Vecchio and Directors Michael Tauro, Yusef Thompson Sr. and Cathy Mowry voted to appoint Sens.

Board members Rob Marra and Kristopher Wiegand voted to appoint attorney Elizabeth Rosemeyer.

George Sens abstained from voting and board member Evelyn Herbert was absent.

Jan Sens is a retired district food service employee who frequently attends school board meetings.

Marra said his vote was not a slight against Jan Sens.

“I just looked at (Rosemeyer’s) background that she submitted and it looked very good,” Marra said.

Rosemeyer is the director of Title IX initiatives and Title IX coordinator at Carnegie Mellon University.

Vecchio said the district checked with the state Department of Education to see if there would be any conflict of interest to appoint Jan Sens, and there was none.

“I think she’s a great fit for the board because she’s worked for the district for 15 years,” Vecchio said. “She was a (custodial maintenance) union leader for a long time. She knows what’s going on in the school district and knows what we need.”

Jan Sens will serve out Graham-Shealey’s unexpired term through early December when the board reorganizes.

She will have to run in the upcoming election to keep the seat next year.

Graham-Shealey, Vecchio, Marra, Mowry and George Sens’ seats are all up for new four-year terms.

Several calls to both George and Jans Sens were not returned.