John Pallone announces resignation as New Kensington-Arnold School District superintendent

New Kensington-Arnold Superintendent John Pallone announced Tuesday that he is resigning from his post with the school district.

Pallone said he is stepping down effective at midnight Friday.

In a statement, Pallone said he has no “strong desire” to leave but “circumstances have made it clear that this decision is timely.”

He did not specify what those circumstances are. He said he is returning to the private sector, but did not provide details.

Pallone urged the school board to replace him with a minority, and to involve residents and taxpayers in the search.

The school board accepted Pallone’s resignation at a meeting Tuesday evening, and approved a severance agreement. The vote was 7-0-1. Board member Eric Doutt was absent; Robert Pallone, John Pallone’s brother, abstained from both votes.

No details of the severance agreement were immediately released. In response to a resident’s question, Solicitor Tony Vigilante said it includes a confidentiality clause.

The Tribune-Review immediately filed a Right-to-Know request to obtain the agreement.

In his comments, board member John DeAntonio indicated he had not seen the severance agreement.

“Speaking for the school board, we thank you for your years of service,” board President John Cope said. “We wish you good fortune and health in the future.”

Pallone, a 1978 graduate of the district, is a lawyer and former state representative. He was hired as superintendent in September 2012.

“Most of the successes that I have enjoyed in my life come from the love, respect and honor that was instilled in me by my parents and family and from the many life and academic lessons that I received from the teachers when I was a student … at the New Kensington-Arnold School District and the glowing example set by my high school principal and close family friend, Richard Romito,” Pallone said in the statement.

Contract had been extended to 2024

Last August, the school board extended Pallone’s contract by three years to June 30, 2024.

That extension came two years ahead of the end of his contract, which had previously been extended by five years in July 2016.

Pallone’s salary was $128,817 for the 2020-21 school year. He had started at a provisional salary of $90,000.

Pallone was the first superintendent in the state hired under a law that was amended to allow professionals with a law degree to lead school districts. It followed a change to the school code that permits non-educators with graduate degrees in business or finance to be superintendents.