New Forest City superintendent is former Scranton teacher, administrator

BY KATHLEEN BOLUS
Times-Shamrock Writer

The Forest City Regional School District hired a veteran educator with ties to Lackawanna County for its top position.

School directors selected Jessica Leitzel-Aquilina, Ed.D., an educator with 18 years of experience, as the district’s next superintendent in a unanimous vote Monday.

John Kopicki, who was the Susquehanna County district’s superintendent since 2011, resigned after the 2014-15 school year to take the superintendent position in the Altoona Area School District in central Pennsylvania, said Mary Emmett, board president. The district also covers Vandling in Lackawanna County.

Dr. Leitzel-Aquilina’s contract, which was not available Monday night, is for five years at $110,000 per year. Any future raises will be based on evaluations, said Ms. Emmett, adding 19 candidates applied for the position. Her first day as superintendent will be Monday, Aug. 24.

The new superintendent did not attend Monday’s meeting because of a previously scheduled family vacation. In Dr. Leitzel-Aquilina’s absence, Ms. Emmett read a prepared biography about the new superintendent.

After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education from East Stroudsburg University, Dr. Leitzel-Aquilina got her master’s degree in education administration and leadership from Marywood University. Her doctorate is in kindergarten to 12th-grade educational leadership from Wilkes University, said Ms. Emmett.

After teaching in the East Stroudsburg area, she moved to the Scranton School District and held various positions, including elementary and high school teacher, elementary and assistant principal, and supervisor of elementary education.

Most recently, she was a curriculum specialist at the Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit.

Directors plan to keep moving the district in the direction charted by Mr. Kopicki, said Ms. Emmett, noting that Dr. Leitzel-Aquilina was the best candidate for the job.

“We’ve done the research, and you’ll be impressed,” said Lou Zefran, the acting superintendent. Mr. Zefran will help Dr. Leitzel-Aquilina transition into the district.

A meet-and-greet with Dr. Leitzel-Aquilina for community members and parents will be scheduled during the week of Aug. 24.

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