Highlands School Board president resigning

Misty Chybrzynski confirmed Sunday that she is resigning from the Highlands School Board because she moved within the district.

Chybrzynski, the board president, said she moved out of Region 2, which she was elected to represent in 2017, and into Region 3.

The nine-member Highlands School Board is elected by region, with three members from each of three regions.

Region 2 covers Brackenridge and the Natrona section of Harrison. Region 3 covers the rest of Harrison not in Region 2. Region 1 consists of Tarentum and Fawn.

Chybrzynski said her move became official last week.

“It’s unfortunate. We’re 1,300 feet away from the line from Region 2,” Chybrzynski said. “We needed a bigger home for our family. I had to choose what was best for my family at this time.”

The school board has called a special meeting for 7 p.m. Monday in the library at Highlands High School in Harrison to accept Chybrzynski’s resignation and advertise the vacancy.

Applications for the seat will be accepted by mail and hand delivery until noon March 23, according to the meeting agenda.

The special meeting is being held ahead of the board’s regular agenda planning meeting that night.

Chybrzynski was named president of the board when it reorganized in December following last year’s election, replacing Debbie Beale, who also represents Region 2.

Chybrzynski said she owns and pays taxes on properties in each of the districts three regions.

However, board members are required to live in the region they’re elected to represent, not just own property there, Beale said.

Chybrzynski said she has suggested that the board change from electing board members by region to at-large.

“I personally feel that every person who sits on the board should represent every taxpayer and resident in the district. We’re not that big,” she said. “We did a lot of work changing and reorganizing so they were all Highlands kids and Highlands schools. I feel like the board should reflect that change as well. That’s not something the board has explored at this time.”

A former district spokeswoman, Chybrzynski is a community development supervisor for Allegheny Family Network.

Chybrzynski said she will remain active in the district, and may run for a Region 3 seat in 2021. That Region 3 seat is now held by Robert Betts, who was elected to a four-year term in November 2017.

Four board members – Gene Witt (Region 1), Kelli Canonge (Region 2), Kristie Babinsack (Region 3) and Laura Butler (Region 3) – were newly elected to the board in 2019. Judy Wisner (Region 1) was the only re-elected incumbent.

In her resignation letter, Chybrzynski said she encouraged the board to continue to listen and respond to the community.

“I feel like the new board members, combined with the veteran ones who have a lot of experience, are doing a great job at making some changes for the district,” she said.

In addition to acting on Chybrzynski’s resignation, the board will also vote on putting out a request for proposals for solicitor services. The district is currently represented by the firm of Weiss Burkardt Kramer.

The agenda does not provide a reason. Chybrzynski said she was unable to comment on the subject; Beale declined to comment until after the board votes.

In addition to acting as the district’s solicitor, Weiss Burkardt Kramer is also the district’s delinquent real estate tax collector, which it was named to in January 2018.