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MASD Recognizes Students, Staff, Directors
Appreciation goes around at recent school board meeting
By Adam Reinherz
The Tube City Almanac
October 13, 2025
Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
(Adam Reinherz photo for Tube City Almanac)
McKeesport Area School District recognized students, staff and school director achievements during an Oct. 9 school board meeting.
Eighth-grader Evan Durst was celebrated for his selection to the US Youth School Junior Olympic Development Program. The program, according to Superintendent Donald MacFann, is a “pathway for identifying and developing top players across the country.”
Retiring golf coach Joe Bower was honored for 12 seasons of leading McKeesport golfers.
School director David Donato called Bower’s contributions to the program “incredible,” and said, “it takes a very special person to get these guys together and want to come every day.”
The Tigers recently concluded an 11-6 season, which nearly marked the highest win total in McKeesport’s history.
“Coach Joe entered the season with high expectations and they did not disappoint,” school director Jason Pavlecic said.
Several golf players joined Bower at Thursday’s meeting. Team captain, Brody Bernard, thanked school directors and the wider community for “rallying behind us and helping us have a special season.”
Outgoing assistant superintendent Matthew Mols was congratulated by MASD president Mark Holtzman on becoming superintendent of Ligonier Valley School District.
“There were some folks who didn’t believe in him. We believed in him,” Holtzman said. “He’s pretty damn good.”
Mols thanked Holtzman, and said he was “indebted to the board of directors” for their support, before adding, “I hope I made a positive difference in my time here.”
After recognition for his service to the district, state Rep. Dan Goughnour expressed gratitude for school directors’ efforts. “It’s not easy doing what these folks do. I know firsthand,” he said. “I hope we made the place a little better during my time. That’s what everybody’s here for. We might not always get along, but it was for the betterment of McKeesport.”
Outgoing school director Latoya Wright reflected on her four-year term and noted both “good” and “challenging” periods.
“I leave here with a lot of respect for people I didn’t always see eye-to-eye with,” she said. “We gained a lot of respect for one another.”
Before promising to return for future board meetings as a community member, Wright implored fellow McKeesport residents to “continue to fight” for issues of importance, and said, “I pray that the community is involved. I pray that the community continues to show up — not just when there’s something negative going on, but when there’s something positive going on.”
Adam Reinherz is a Pittsburgh-based journalist. He can be reached at adam.reinherz@gmail.com.
Originally published October 13, 2025.
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