Mar 27, 2020 3 min read

NEW EAGLE – Ringgold School Board accepted the resignation of its superintendent and appointed a temporary replacement.

In a special meeting held Wednesday by Zoom video conference, the board of directors accepted the resignation of Megan Marie Van Fossan, effective immediately, and appointed district director of operations and financial services Randall Skrinjorich as acting superintendent.

Van Fossan, who served in the position since July 2018, tendered her resignation to the school board March 20. She had expressed willingness to continue in the position for 60 days, per the terms of her contract.

However, the board opted Wednesday to place Skrinjorich in the role in an acting capacity. Skrinjorich previously filled in as acting superintendent after former superintendent Karen Polkabla died in February 2018.

An acting superintendent can serve for a maximum of one year.

The moves come one week after the Ringgold School Board passed several resolutions regarding oversight of district operations, human resources matters and personnel decisions.

Last week, the board gave authority to Skrinjorich, with the assistance of legal counsel and input from the human resources manager/executive assistant to the superintendent, to study the structure of human resources functions of the school district and report his recommendations for the structure and organization of the HR functions to the superintendent and school board. Skrinjorich was also given the power and authority to schedule and conduct personnel matters, including investigative interviews regarding employee matters and complaints, Loudermill hearings and interactive process meetings.

In addition, Skrinjorich can impose discipline, including disciplinary suspensions, suspensions pending discharge and reassignments, as may be reasonably necessary with the legal advice of counsel.

Two days later, Van Fossan informed the board she would be resigning from Ringgold this spring.

Van Fossan said last week she had already accepted a new position with another district but could not disclose her future employer at the time.

Ringgold school board President William Stein Jr. thanked Van Fossan for her service and wished her luck in her endeavors.

In other business, the board filled another administrative position on a temporary basis with the hiring of Dr. Cathy Taschner.

Taschner will serve as substitute director of pupil services while the current director is on a leave of absence. According to a resolution for her appointment, Taschner will be charged with developing an educational program to be offered while schools are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“We believe her experience will definitely help us with the challenges we have ahead of us right now,” said Skrinjorich.

Taschner previously served as superintendent of Coatesville Area School District in Chester County from 2014 to 2019. She has worked in several administrative roles and has a background in special education, Ringgold officials said.

“We’ve been advised by (Van Fossan) that the (intermediate unit) at this time didn’t have any substitutes, and the process for us to advertise for a substitute would have been time consuming, and that’s time we don’t have right now,” said Stein.

Taschner will be paid by Ringgold at a daily rate of $460 for days that she is assigned to work by the acting superintendent, prorated for any partial days worked. She will not receive benefits from the district.