Community Updates

June 9, 2026

Dear Avonworth Community Members,

As Avonworth School District prepares for an important leadership transition, we are pleased to announce that the search for our next superintendent is now underway. With Dr. Jeff Hadley set to leave his position effective July 1, 2026, the Board of School Directors is committed to conducting a thorough and inclusive search process that reflects the values and priorities of our community. 

At the June 8, 2026 meeting, the Board of School Directors hired Dr. Jeff Finch as Interim Superintendent during the search for Dr. Hadley’s successor. Dr. Finch has more than 30 years of experience and has served in multiple leadership roles before retiring as Superintendent in the Grove City School District.

At the same meeting, the Board hired the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) to facilitate the search process. The Avonworth School Board is excited to work with the CCIU given their extensive experience with public schools in our region.

The Board of School Directors will meet with CCIU in the coming weeks in an executive session to finalize the search process. Hiring a new superintendent is one of the most important responsibilities of the Board of School Directors. While the final decision of hiring a new superintendent rests with the Board of School Directors, the information garnered from the community is highly valued and appreciated as it will help the Board select the next superintendent who will lead the Avonworth School District forward.

For this reason, one of the first steps in the search process is for the consultants, on behalf of the Avonworth Board of School Directors, to coordinate and invite Avonworth community members to participate in upcoming focus groups.  

Focus groups are an important part of the superintendent search process because they are designed to obtain the input and perspective of teachers, support staff, administrators, parents, caregivers, and community members about the characteristics, experiences, knowledge, attributes, and leadership skills that the Avonworth community, from its perspective, most desires in a new superintendent. More information will be forthcoming in the next few weeks.

Communications regarding the new superintendent search process will take place through email messages like this one as well as updates on the district Facebook and Instagram pages.  Updated information will also be available on the Avonworth website on the Superintendent Search page, which is located under “About.” For your convenience, information about Dr. Finch and the CCIU is available on the Superintendent Search page.  

While the specific candidate information for this search must be conducted with strict confidentiality, the Board of School Directors will make certain that the Avonworth community is kept informed of the process each step of the way.  

Please feel free to reach out to any of the School Board members if you have any questions.

 

Sincerely,

The Avonworth Board of School Directors

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John Brandt, President
Yu-Ling Cheng, Vice President
Danielle White, Treasurer
Adam Livingston
Jessica Opalko
Justin Panuski
Jenna Paulat
Nora Silvey
Amy Tokar

July 15, 2026

Dear Avonworth Community Members,

As the search for Avonworth School District's next superintendent continues, we would like to provide an update on several important milestones in the process.

Over the past several weeks, the Board of School Directors has continued working closely with the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) to advance the search. One important milestone has now been reached, as the superintendent position has been officially posted and is being advertised through the CCIU website as well as multiple regional, state, and national education leadership networks. This broad recruitment effort is intended to attract a highly qualified and diverse pool of candidates with the experience, leadership skills, and vision needed to lead the Avonworth School District into the future.

The application period will remain open through Sunday, August 23, 2026, providing interested candidates the opportunity to learn more about the position and submit their materials for consideration.

As shared in our previous communication, community input remains a critical component of the superintendent search process. The Board of School Directors highly values the perspectives of students, families, staff members, and community stakeholders. The feedback gathered will help identify the qualities, experiences, knowledge, and leadership characteristics that are most important to the Avonworth community and will help inform the development of a candidate profile and interview questions.

To gather that feedback, the CCIU will first facilitate a series of virtual focus groups in the coming weeks. To encourage open and honest dialogue, Board members and district administrators will not participate in these sessions. CCIU facilitators will lead the discussions and collect feedback anonymously and in aggregate form.

Virtual Focus Group Schedule

Avonworth School District Superintendent Search Focus Groups
Focus Group	Date	Time (One Hour)	Registration Link
Administration	Thursday, July 23, 2026	10:00 a.m.	https://www.cciu.org/asd-admin
Professional Staff	Tuesday, July 28, 2026	4:00 p.m.	https://www.cciu.org/asd-prof-staff
Support Staff	Wednesday, July 29, 2026	4:00 p.m.	https://www.cciu.org/asd-support-staff
Parents: Option 1	Thursday, July 30, 2026	7:00 p.m.	https://www.cciu.org/asd-parents-1
Staff-at-Large (Makeup Session)	Tuesday, August 4, 2026	7:00 p.m.	https://www.cciu.org/asd-staff-at-large
Parents: Option 2	Wednesday, August 5, 2026	7:00 p.m.	https://www.cciu.org/asd-parents-2
Community (Non-parent Members)	Thursday, August 6, 2026	7:00 p.m.	https://www.cciu.org/asd-community
Community-at-Large (Makeup Session incl. Parents & Students)	Tuesday, August 11, 2026	7:00 p.m.	https://www.cciu.org/asd-community-at-large

 

We kindly ask participants to register in advance using the appropriate link for their stakeholder group. Following registration, participants will receive a confirmation email containing the Zoom meeting information. Registration information will remain confidential and will not be shared with the Avonworth School District. A survey will be made available to all community members in August for anyone who may be unable to attend one of the outlined focus groups.

Once the application period closes, the Board of School Directors will begin reviewing candidate materials as part of a comprehensive selection process designed to identify the district's next superintendent. The CCIU will continue to facilitate the search process, supporting candidate screenings and the interview process, while the Board evaluates candidates and determines which individuals advance through each stage of consideration.

The Board's goal is to complete the selection process by October 2026, allowing the successful candidate to transition into the role and begin serving as Avonworth School District's next superintendent at the start of 2027.

Thank you for your continued interest, participation, and support throughout this important process. We encourage all members of the Avonworth community to consider participating in a focus group and helping shape the future leadership of our district.

Sincerely,   

The Avonworth School District 
Board of School Directors   

John Brandt, President
Yu-Ling Cheng, Vice President
Danielle White, Treasurer
Adam Livingston
Jessica Opalko
Justin Panuski
Jenna Paulat
Nora Silvey
Amy Tokar