Board of School Directors appoints Superintendent
Posted on 06/17/2019
(June 17, 2019) – Cumberland Valley School District’s Board of School Directors tonight appointed Dr. David E. Christopher as the incoming Superintendent of Schools. The vote followed an in-depth screening process and a series of rigorous interviews with numerous highly-qualified candidates.
Dr. Christopher will replace Dr. Frederick S. Withum III, who announced in March that he will retire on August 9, 2019, after a distinguished 35-year career in public education.
“My family and I are very excited to be joining the Cumberland Valley community,” said Dr. Christopher. “This is such an amazing opportunity and I am honored to have been selected to lead one of Pennsylvania's great districts.”
He added that he is looking forward to working with district staff, acquainting himself with the greater CV community, and continuing to enhance and ensure opportunities for students to achieve to their greatest individual potential.
An educator in Pennsylvania’s public schools since 1996, Dr. Christopher currently serves as Deputy Superintendent in Pittsburgh’s North Allegheny School District. In this position, he has worked to improve instructional practices to support student collaboration, communication, and critical thinking. He has led district changes to the middle school program, has worked to develop a modern instructional model that utilizes research-based practices and instructional technology to help prepare students with the skills they will need to be successful in today's job market, and has led efforts to reduce student stress while also maintaining high expectations and results.
Dr. Christopher has been selected to serve on numerous committees with the Pennsylvania Department of Education and Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators, and has worked with other administrators from across the Commonwealth to improve teacher evaluation practices, graduation requirements, and innovative instructional practices for all of Pennsylvania's teachers and students.
Prior to joining the team at North Allegheny, Dr. Christopher served as an elementary teacher in Huntingdon Area School District and as an elementary principal, secondary principal, and Superintendent at Juniata Valley School District.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Christopher to the CV Community and look forward to having him lead our District as our next Superintendent. Dr. Christopher’s knowledge of curriculum, finance, and technology will be paramount as CV faces the challenges of growing enrollment and changing demographics. Throughout the selection process, Dr. Christopher’s thoughtful approach and strong leadership skills resonated with the Board of School Directors,” said School Board President Heather Dunn. “I would be remiss, however, if I did not take this opportunity, on behalf of the Board, to thank Dr. Withum for his visionary leadership and for readying the District as we approach the transition to Dr. Christopher.”
Dunn said the Board of School Directors was committed to finding the superintendent candidate who was a best fit for Cumberland Valley School District and who would continue to move CV forward. From the applications received, the Board narrowed the field to seven candidates after an extensive review of all submitted materials. Through a series of rigorous interviews, the field was narrowed to three before selecting Dr. Christopher as the final candidate.
Dunn added that development of an employment agreement setting forth the terms and conditions of appointment has just concluded and that, by including this as a motion on tonight’s Board agenda, Dr. Christopher will be ensured an opportunity to begin prior to the start of the 2019-20 school year. A beginning-of-the-year start has been a goal of the Board through the selection process as it will provide for a smoother transition.
Dr. Christopher graduated from Juniata College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education and he holds a Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership and Policy from Shippensburg University. In 2018, Dr. Christopher received his Educational Doctorate from the initial cohort of the Millersville University/Shippensburg University Joint Ed.D. program.
Dr. Christopher and his wife, Aron, and their two children will be relocating to the district this summer. It is anticipated that Dr. Christopher will begin his appointment as Superintendent of Schools prior to the start of the 2019-20 school year.