Charleroi school director ranks in state top 10 for continuous active service
Kelly Tunney | Herald-Standard
School board director Ken Wiltz has one of the longest tenures as a school board director in Pennsylvania.
School board director Ken Wiltz, right, drops in on a reading lesson with Mrs. Broznick’s third-grade class at Charleroi Area Elementary Center.
Kelly Tunney Herald-Standard
A military police officer in Vietnam, Ken Wiltz was moved by the plight of the children.
“We would sneak food and candy to the kids,” Wiltz said. “They would have their hands out when they saw us.”
So Wiltz came home and decided to dedicate his life to children.
Next month, Wiltz will begin his 42nd consecutive year as a school director in the Charleroi Area School District. Wiltz ranks eighth statewide in active years of continuous service.
Wiltz graduated from Charleroi Area High School in 1962. Drafted in 1965, he served in Vietnam in 1966-67. Returning home, he earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Duquesne University in 1972 with a concentration on social studies.
Wiltz worked at the Mon Valley YMCA during the summers while attending Duquesne University. In 1973, he was hired as executive director of the YMCA.
With humble beginnings, the YMCA grew under Wiltz’s leadership. The first expansion in 1986 added the gymnasium and swimming pool. In 2004, the preschool facilities and fitness center were constructed.
Wiltz retired in 2010 after 37 years as executive director of the Mon Valley YMCA in Carroll Township.
He was director of the Mon Valley YMCA for a few years when he decided to run for the school board.
“I saw the importance of education, and I wanted to be an advocate for children on the school board,” Wiltz said. “And 41 years later, I’m still doing it.”
Wiltz was 31 in 1975 when he along with Tony McGrew and Tommy Griffith opposed three incumbents on the board.
“We came through the election and won,” Wiltz said.
Wiltz said he received excellent guidance early from then-Superintendent Donald Celaschi and board president Bill Cominsky.
“Bill was my biggest mentor,” said Wiltz, who has served as board president for the past 14 years and 20 times over his career. “It was all about the kids with Bill, too.”
Married since 1978 to Linda, the couple have a daughter, Kendra Hartley, a third-grade teacher in the district, and a son, Ken, as well as three grandchildren, Aralyn and Ethan Hartley and Neva Wiltz
Wiltz said his greatest joy comes in impacting students’ lives positively. He believes maintaining the arts and music even within budgetary limitations is important in order to build a well-rounded student.
“Kindergarten through third grade is the foundation,” Wiltz said. “We’ve been concentrating in that area.”
At the board’s monthly meeting, the district recognizes students for success in academics and character.
“That gets the parents involved and gets the kids feeling good about what they’re doing whether in band or choir or the arts,” Wiltz said. “We don’t think anything is more important than teaching trust, respect, integrity. The teachers work to provide these character values. Our board and superintendent push a lot of character values.”
District Superintendent Dr. Ed Zelich is in his third year working with Wiltz.
“The experience he brings to the table is incredible,” Zelich said. “And I use him as a sounding board on a lot of things.
“When you are the new superintendent coming into a district, it’s an incredible blessing to have someone like Ken. His leadership style is honesty and integrity, and he always puts kids first.”
Zelich said Wiltz is a great communicator.
“I think as administrators and board members, we all learn from him every day,” Zelich said.
Wiltz said he still enjoys his role and hopes to continue doing so as long as the voters renew their faith in him every four years.
“It’s great when I can go to graduation and see kids who came through the system and to learn about the colleges they will attend,” Wiltz said. “Hopefully, what we’re doing is going to impact the rest of their lives.”
Wiltz said it is important to be honest and not have an agenda. He said the Charleroi Area board has succeeded because it has been united to benefit education.
The Pennsylvania School Board Association last year recognized Wiltz for surpassing four decades of service.
“It is humbling to think about the amount of dedication these individuals have to their local communities, especially when you consider that school directors are unpaid volunteers and the average person puts in about 20 hours a month in school board work,” said Steve Robinson, senior director of communication for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association.
“Being a school director is not easy, but it is very rewarding. These volunteer leaders need to become well-versed in a broad range of topics including budgeting, academics, curriculum, operations, personnel and contract negotiations. If all of us gave a fraction of the time these individuals do for public service, we would have a lot less problems in our world.”
Wiltz said the qualities necessary to be a successful school board director include the ability to network and communicate. Asked about his longevity of service, Wiltz says with a shy smile, “I don’t know.”
“I just had a lot of great support from the community and individuals,” Wiltz said. “Hopefully, it’s because I’ve done a good job.”