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WRIGHT TWP. &#8212; Crestwood School Board has scheduled a special meeting Thursday at 6 p.m. for one simple but important vote: Appointing an acting superintendent.The move became necessary after the board <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/494728/showdown-at-w-b-area-ctc-crestwood-seeks-injunction" target="_blank">appointed</a> Fairview Elementary Principal Peg Foster on Nov. 19, then <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/498337/crestwood-school-board-rescinds-superintendent-appointment" target="_blank">rescinded that appointment</a> less than a month later after three new members were sworn in during the Dec. 10 re-organization meeting. Foster was to replace Dave McLaughlin Smith, who is retiring.Friday is the last day on the job for McLaughlin-Smith, and the state requires a district to have a superintendent of record, so the board had to call the special meeting to fulfill that requirement, Solicitor John Dean said.The board also will re-advertise for applicants who want the superintendent title without the &#8220;acting&#8221; in front of it, Dean said.In November, the board voted 5-3 to appoint Foster as superintendent through June 30, 2019, at a starting annual salary of $115,000. Three men who had won seats on the board during the election weeks earlier voiced multiple concerns, including the fact that Foster lacked the Letter of Eligibility a person needs to be a superintendent in Pennsylvania.The three &#8212; Ron Sturgeon, Joe Kaminski and Bill Jones &#8212; urged the board to delay the appointment, with Jones asking if it could be rescinded once they took their seats on the board. Dean said it could, but added that a Commonwealth Court ruling laid the groundwork for a successful legal challenge of such a move.Dean said that, prior to the Dec. 10 meeting, he was asked for multiple legal opinions, but could not give details because it occurred during an executive session. After swearing in the three new members, the board elected Eric Aigeldinger &#8212; one of three who voted against Foster in November &#8212; as president.The reconstituted board then voted 6-3 to rescind the appointment of Foster.On Monday, Dean said the vote will stand unless someone with a direct stake in the issue &#8212; Foster, for example &#8212; mounted a legal challenge. &#8220;Pennsylvania courts do not issue what are called advisory opinions,&#8221; he said, referring to unsolicited, non-binding interpretations of the legality of something.Along with appointing an acting superintendent, the board will begin advertising for new superintendent candidates. One of the complaints raised when Foster was appointed to the post involved the advertising.Sturgeon, Kaminski and Jones all argued the ad was too small and lacking in detail to assure applications from top candidates. The new ads are considerably larger and the job requirements more detailed.Dean said Foster can re-apply for the job. She was appointed in November contingent on receiving required certifications. At the time, board president Jerry Orloski &#8212; who did not seek re-election and thus left the board in December &#8212; said Foster was expected to receive them by Jan. 8.<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Mark Guydishmguydish@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Mark Guydish at 570-991-6112 or on Twitter @TLMarkGuydish</shirttailMeta></div>

Crestwood School Board sets special meeting to hire acting superintendent