The Bellefonte Area School Board on Tuesday appointed the district’s next superintendent.
Roy Rakszawski, who has been superintendent of Edgewater Park Township School District in New Jersey for the past 11 years, will become Bellefonte Area’s top administrator beginning July 15.
The school board approved a four-year contract through June 30, 2028 for Rakszawski. It includes a starting salary of $149,500 and increases of $3,000 each of the following three years. He also will be eligible for additional increases or bonuses based on performance at the discretion of the board.
Rakszawski will succeed Tammie Burnaford, who is retiring at the end of her contract in June.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to join the Bellefonte team,” Rakszawski said in a statement posted on the district’s Facebook page. “My first impressions are that the District is a very special place that emphasizes collaboration and student-centered decisions. I look forward to getting to know everyone and working together.”
Rakszawski, who resides in Bucks County, was one of three finalists for the position after a four-month search performed with the assistance of DiRocco Education Consulting under a $19,000 contract.
During his tenure at Edgewater Park Township School District, Rakszawski was named Burlington County Superintendent of the Year in 2021.
He previously served as a principal in New Jersey’s Mount Holly Township and Magnolia school districts and was a teacher of music in the Runnemede School District.
Rakszawski earned a bachelor’s degree in music education for the University of the Arts, a master’s degree in music therapy from Immaculata University, and master’s and doctor of education degrees in school leadership from Wilmington University.
“The Board is looking forward to working with Dr. Rakszawski and appreciates the input from the various stakeholder groups that participated in the four-month process,” school board President Jon Guizar said in a statement.
