Ligonier Valley selects high school principal to succeed retiring superintendent

A veteran Ligonier Valley administrator is poised to take on the role of superintendent this summer.

The school board this week chose high school Principal Tim Kantor to succeed Superintendent Christine Oldham, who is set to retire June 30. Terms of Kantor’s contract for the top administrative position have yet to be finalized, according to district officials.

Kantor, who served the district in various capacities for almost 20 years, has “all the tools in his bag” for the new role, said school board President Jack McDowell, a former district teacher. “There’s no replacement for experience. We decided we had a perfect candidate in the district. Tim is a good man.”

McDowell said Kantor also is ideally suited for carrying on the educational legacy Oldham will leave behind, including a customized learning approach that allows students to progress at their own pace, with support from a teacher or learning coach.

Kantor agreed, noting Oldham “has definitely left us in a great place. I want to continue on with that. I’m honored to have this opportunity.”

He said his familiarity with Ligonier Valley’s students and staff will come as a great advantage as he moves into the superintendent role.

A graduate of neighboring Derry Area High School, Kantor served in an Army Ranger battalion from 1989-95. After teaching in Raleigh, N.C., he joined the Ligonier Valley district in 2002 as a teacher at the now-closed Laurel Valley Middle/High School.

He became the assistant principal at Ligonier Valley High School in 2009 and has been the principal of that school since 2011.

“I’m really excited to move forward,” he said.