Announcement of Special Virtual Board Meeting July 18, 2024, 3:00 p.m.

Dear SDST Community and Staff,

I am pleased to announce a Special Virtual Board Meeting to be held this Thursday, July 18, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. virtually to vote upon a personnel agenda that will include a number of new staff members for positions across the district.

Within the personnel agenda are several new teaching positions in emotional support to strengthen services at Enfield and Erdenheim elementary schools, as well as several long-term substitute positions to support staff who will be on leaves this year. I am thankful to the administration and staff who engaged in the searches for these important roles on our team.

I am also pleased to recommend the appointment of Dr. Amy Mangano for the position of Springfield Township Middle School Principal, effective September 9, 2024. Dr. Mangano was selected after an extensive search process that involved staff and community surveys and multiple interviews, which included administrators, teachers, specialists, support staff, students, parents and board members on the interview committees. She was the clear finalist from a pool of over 50 applicants, after a challenging three rounds of interviews that culminated in a two-hour series in which she addressed administration, community members, students and staff across four 30-minute sessions.

Dr. Mangano currently serves as the Supervisor of Elementary Special Education in Methacton School District. Prior to assuming that position in 2021, Dr. Mangano was Methacton's middle school principal at their 7-8 building for six years. She also served as an elementary principal in New Hope-Solebury SD for 11 years, and began her career as an elementary school counselor, guidance supervisor and middle school assistant principal in Wissahickon SD for ten years. Throughout the interview series, Dr. Mangano impressed our administration, staff, families and students with her depth of experience, her intellect, and her comprehensive approach to student, staff and community engagement. Dr. Mangano is a graduate of Germantown Academy and Providence College, and she completed her graduate studies at Gwynedd Mercy and Arcadia Universities.

Dr. Zach Fuller’s last day with us was Thursday, July 11th, and so I am pleased to announce that Mrs. Kieran Brady will serve as Interim STMS Principal until Dr. Mangano’s arrival in September. Families or staff with questions regarding the 2024-2025 school year may direct inquiries to Mrs. Brady at kieran_brady@sdst.org.

I am also pleased to announce the recommendation of Mr. Matthew Snead for the position of Supervisor of Technology. Mr. Snead replaces thirty-year veteran Springfield community member Mrs. Virginia Wexler, who served in a similar role for the district managing the network security systems. In moving this position to an administrative role, we are improving our ability to manage the significant challenges experienced in K-12 education today regarding network administration, cybersecurity, and the advent of artificial intelligence.

Mr. Snead currently serves as the Director of Information Technology at Abington School District. He has served in the role since January of this year, and was previously the district's Supervisor of Technology for three years. Mr. Snead is a graduate of Upper Moreland SD, where he studied at Eastern as a high school student, having long had an interest and aptitude in computer programming. Mr. Snead is highly skilled in network management and cybersecurity, and worked for a number of years with Mr. Brandon Lutz, our Director of Technology. Mr. Snead emerged as the clear finalist for Supervisor of Technology, having demonstrated his skills and intellect through multiple rounds of interviews with our team.

The personnel agenda will be the only item on the Special Virtual Meeting of the Board on Thursday, July 18, 2024 at 3:00 p.m..

Thank you, and enjoy the remainder of your summer!

MaryJo Yannacone, Ed.D.
Superintendent