Wanzo to resign as McKeesport superintendent

She reportedly failed to report a sexual relationship between a student and a security guard.

The separation agreement between Dr. Tia Wanzo and the McKeesport School Area School District does not provide any indication of a purpose for the superintendent’s resignation, but an internal investigation reportedly found that she failed to report an alleged sexual relationship between a security guard and a student.

KDKA obtained a copy of the special counsel report, which said Wanzo and two other district employees failed to report allegations of child sexual abuse to Child-Line.

According to the report, another student informed a teacher of the alleged relationship Oct. 27, 2023. It was then reported to high school principal Dale McCall, who told Wanzo about it over the phone while she was in California. Wanzo told the other employees to wait until she flew back and did not report the allegations for another five days.

The report said Wanzo didn’t contact the security company about terminating Alexis Brown until December 2023.

Brown was charged in January with institutional sexual assault and corruption of minors in addition to other charges. W a n z o failed to inform the solicitor, school board or the district’s insurance carrier about the allegations, according to KDKA.

The Mon Valley Independent received the separation agreement Monday through a Right to Know request submitted to the district.

At Thursday’s special school board meeting, the McKeesport Area school board accepted Wanzo’s leave of absence that will continue through Nov. 13, after which she will resign.

The Mon Valley Independent reached out to board President Mark Holtzman for comment, but he said to contact Solicitor Gary Matta and the district’s special counsel, Thomas King, a partner of Dillon, McCandless, King, Coulter and Graham, LLP. The law firm was hired in April.

Matta didn’t respond to messages requesting comment on the matter, and King declined to comment on his role as special counsel or whether he investigated Wanzo.

During Thursday’s meeting, when Matta was asked about the reason for Wanzo’s leave of absence and whether she was accused of misconduct, he said he couldn’t discuss the matter further due to confidentiality.

Wanzo, who was hired as superintendent in July 2022, will receive $173,250 and one year of health care benefits and coverage after her resignation takes effect in November, per the separation agreement.

KDKA also reported that McCall and the teacher have been suspended with pay and appeared before termination

hearings last week. During those hearings, two other employees were implicated and have also been suspended with pay.

William Pettigrew was hired as interim superintendent in an 8-1 vote by the board, with Director LaToya Wright casting the lone dissenting vote.