Pellicone Leaving L. Moreland Schools

The challenges that await Robert W. Pellicone in his new position as superintendent of the East Chester (N. Y.) School District aren't unlike the ones he faced when taking over the reigns in Lower Moreland on July 1, 1986.

"It's an affluent, suburban school system that needs more influence and direction," said Pellicone, who formally will resign as the superintendent of the Lower Moreland School District at the July 23 board meeting.

Pellicone made an announcement Tuesday night to the Lower Moreland school board about his intentions.

Before he came to Lower Moreland Pellicone, 44, had been assistant superintendent for two years in the Washington School District, near Pittsburgh.

From 1974 until 1984, he was an elementary school principal in the Tredyffrin-Easttown school district in Chester County.

Pellicone, who has three years left on his contract with Lower Moreland, said the move to East Chester was "solely a professional career move."

That school district is similar in size to Lower Moreland with 1,800 students, and it offered some "new challenges. It's time for me to move on."

East Chester is about 30 miles north of New York City.

It could be as many as six months before Pellicone's replacement is found, according to Lorraine C. Pruitt, Lower Moreland school board member.

There was a seven-month lag between Pellicone's hiring in July, 1986, and the retirement of his predecessor, Paul A. Johnson.

The board likely will hire a firm to help it seek eligible candidates for the position, board member Joyce B. Klugherz said.

"I think it's always a loss to a district to have a superintendent leave," Pruitt said.

"You lose continuity, you lose contacts that a person had, and for awhile the district stands still," he said.

"On the other hand you have a new person, new ideas," Pruitt said.

Pellicone left a positive mark on the district, Pruitt and Klugherz said.

One of his biggest contributions was the successful reorganization of the school district, a cost-cutting measure designed to cope with the district's declining enrollment.

In the reorganization, children in the third and fourth grades were moved

from Pine Run Elementary School to Murray Avenue Middle School. Grades seven through 12 were lumped together at the high school.

"There was a lot of trepidation about whether seventh and eighth graders could be in the same building with 12th graders," Klugherz said.

Pellicone also improved the communication between the community, the school staff and the administration, Pruitt and Klugherz said.

"It's always been my policy to deal with people face to face," Pellicone said.