Former New Ken-Arnold superintendent kept on as 'consultant,' gets a year's pay in severance agreement

John Pallone’s tenure as superintendent of New Kensington-Arnold School District ended July 31, but for the next four months he’ll collect twice as much money from the district as he did when he was district chief.

A severance agreement approved as part of his resignation guarantees him a full-year’s salary, and also retains him as an administrative consultant for four months at the same rate of pay he earned as superintendent.

Pallone’s annual salary as of July 1 was $128,862.

The severance agreement does not spell out the work Pallone will be doing as a consultant from Aug. 1 through Nov. 30, and neither Pallone nor district officials would discuss the details. Pallone cited a confidentiality clause in the agreement.

“I’m not a government. I do not have to release information,” Pallone said. “I’m in a position where I can’t violate my agreement. I’m not willing to take that risk.”

When contacted for comment, school board President John Cope said he would have to consult with district Solicitor Tony Vigilante to determine if he was allowed to discuss the severance agreement. He did not respond back to the Tribune-Review.

Vigilante referred questions to the district’s labor attorney, Ray Sekula. Sekula could not be reached.

Jason Moore, a teacher and president of the New Kensington-Arnold Education Association, declined to comment on Pallone’s resignation or his severance agreement, saying his focus was on the start of the upcoming school year amid the covid-19 pandemic.

The district released a copy of the severance agreement to the Trib in response to a Right-to-Know request filed by the newspaper.

While not spelling out Pallone’s consulting duties, the agreement does say that Pallone will not use any district office space to fulfill his duties as a consultant to the district’s administration.

Under Pallone’s contract, he had been earning gross monthly pay of more than $10,700. At that rate, the district will pay him nearly $43,000 for his four months of work as a consultant.

Pallone’s severance payment and pay for consulting services adds up to a total of nearly $172,000. His severance payment will be paid out over the next year on regular employee paydays, while the money for consulting services will be paid out monthly, according to the severance agreement.

Pallone also will be paid his daily rate for all unused vacation days, and $100 for each of his accumulated sick days as of July 31, according to the agreement. The agreement did not say how many sick and vacation days Pallone had.

The district also will pay for a $250,000 group term life and accidental death insurance policy for Pallone, the agreement said.

Pallone announced his resignation ahead of the school board’s meeting on July 28. The severance agreement specified that Pallone was to announce his resignation at that meeting and it would be effective at 11:59 p.m. July 31.

The agreement said Pallone’s performance as superintendent for the 2019-20 school year would be described in his employment record as “satisfactory,” but would not be published on the district’s website. The district agreed to give him a standard neutral employment recommendation.

Under the agreement, Pallone, the district and the school board promised to never sue each other. The agreement said that Pallone, the school board and the district “entered into this agreement to avoid the cost of possible legal action,” and did not admit to any wrongdoing by entering into the agreement.