CHURCHILL, Pa. — The Woodland Hills School Board voted to terminate the employment of Superintendent Joe Maluchnik on Friday.
The vote was the culmination of months of hearings and testimony.
Maluchnik was accused of neglect of duty, incompetence, and gender-based discrimination. He had been placed on administrative leave in March and was initially hired in January 2025.
Members of the public had a chance to speak before the vote.
Most wanted to keep him in the district.
“You all decided to be a board member because you wanted to be here for the kids. I’m one of the kids and we want Dr. Maluchnik back,” Nick D’Amico said. He’s a student at Woodland Hills High School.
“If he were to be terminated, I am confident he would win the ensuing lawsuit,” another man said.
Others supported the decision to fire him.
“You are not required to make decisions based on who is the loudest,” one man said.
In the end, the board voted 5-4 to terminate his contract. It was a decision that was met with boos and shouts from many in attendance.
“The teachers rallied. The students rallied. The parents rallied. He showed up at every event. He was president. This is a coup, it really is,” parent Darcy O’Neil said.
Board member Darnika Reed voted to keep him.
“The board absolutely made the wrong decision. Their decision could bankrupt our district,” she said.
We asked board president Karen Lyons what her message is to community members upset by the results.
“I could only say we made the right decision,” she said.
In a full statement sent later, Lyons said:
“This has been an extraordinarily challenging period for the Woodland Hills School District. We understand that there have been strong emotions surrounding this matter. Our focus now must be on moving forward and doing everything in our power to help our district heal and come together as a unified community. We remain committed to providing our students and staff with the resources and support they need to thrive, and we will do so under the guiding principle of fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive educational environment.
“As we move forward, our priority is to embrace what makes the Woodland Hills School District special. We are blessed with passionate and dedicated faculty and staff who consistently go above and beyond to engage with our students. We have a diverse and rigorous curriculum that supports our students’ discovery of any career they wish to pursue. Our amazing network of community support groups helps lift our students and families in need. That is what makes Woodland Hills extraordinary, and we look forward to identifying and hiring the next leader of our district.”
Among those voting to terminate was Terri Lawson. She is set to resign from the board in September following legal issues.
Maluchnik did not attend the meeting. Channel 11 did speak to someone at his attorney’s office who told us they would not be releasing a statement about the decision.
Woodland Hills appointed Denise L. Sedlacek as the interim superintendent in July. She will continue to serve in the role.
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