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Frank Zito: Retired superintendent comes to McGuffey schools' rescue
Sunday, September 17, 2000 By Janice Crompton, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
Thinking his days as superintendent of the McGuffey School District were behind him, Frank Zito was enjoying a life of retirement luxury -- cruises to Alaska, a train tour across Canada, trips to Florida and Hawaii. It was the good life he'd earned after dedicating 28 years of his life to the district.
Little did Zito, 63, know last month, when he accepted a proposal to step in as acting superintendent that he may as well have walked into a burning building.
"I was shocked ... my blood pressure went up," said Zito, whose retirement as district superintendent, in 1997 was prompted by heart problems.
Believing the only scandal he was facing involved the recent suspension of current Superintendent Anthony Burger for alleged sexual harassment, Zito was wary.
"I was reluctant -- I was a little bit concerned," he said.
Zito almost laughs now. A week back on the job, he heard the name Deanna Lesneski.
"I knew about the other situation," he said of the suspension. "But I was never aware of Mrs. Lesneski."
On Aug. 28, Lesneski, 47, of Buffalo, strapped herself to the flagpole at the Blaine-Buffalo Elementary School. She began a protest of the district's handling of her son's education.
Save for a four-day break over the Labor Day weekend when both sides reached a tentative -- but failed -- agreement, Lesneski has continued her protest and said she will not end her vigil until the district agrees to some key educational and medical provisions involving her son, 7-year-old Ryan "Max" Lesneski. He has Down syndrome, asthma and a hearing disability.
Lesneski's protest has drawn media attention from as far away as England, and the plight of the "flagpole mom," as she often is referred to in headlines, has become a hot-button issue.
Zito wants the problem to be resolved as soon as possible.
"I'm trying to get some cohesiveness back. My major goal is to try to draw some unity among the administrative staff and teachers," he said. "I want to try to do as much as I can to right the situation."
After working as a teacher, guidance counselor and principal for various school districts in the region, the South Franklin resident came to McGuffey in 1969 as high school principal. He became superintendent 16 years later, and in 1995 he underwent open heart surgery.
Zito admits that although his cardiologist doesn't know of his latest engagement, his other doctor isn't happy.
"My general practitioner knows, and he was upset," Zito said.
State law will limit Zito to working only up to 95 days if he wants to continue collecting his pension. After that, the district may be forced to hire an interim superintendent, a position "totally out of question" for Zito.
The next few weeks won't be all bad, though. Zito and his wife Marilyn left Thursday for a 12-day Mediterranean cruise, their 40th wedding anniversary present to each other, he said.
The couple has two grown sons. A third son was killed in an automobile accident in 1986.
"There was such a community outpouring of support for us after that," Zito said. "I owe that back to them."
As for Deanna Lesneski's protest, Zito is philosophical.
"This will come to pass," he said. "I firmly believe we can get something worked out with her."
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