On his first day in the area, new Woodland Hills School District Superintendent Walter Calinger faced a possible budget crisis, controversial plans to close East Junior High School, lingering fears from violent episodes during the past school year and a room full of people expecting solutions for each problem. To his credit, Dr. Calinger didn't back away from any of them.

"Your challenges here are something that intrigue me," he said to parents and administrators during a press conference Tuesday at Woodland Hills High School. "More than that, as a professional educator all my life, I feel it's something I can do something about."

While Dr. Calinger said he would need more time with the district to offer opinions on the $85 million budget and whether to close East, he offered three simple solutions to address discipline problems.

"I believe each and every parent wants for their children what I want for mine -- to go to school in a safe environment, to have a challenging curriculum and to have permission to dream," he said.

He acknowledged his solutions will not be a "magic wand" that will end all fights and raise achievement among all students. However, he said, ensuring all students are being educated adequately will be the catalyst that keeps them out of trouble and fosters a better learning environment throughout the district.

"Look at all of the good teachers here. If you look at their classrooms, kids come [and] they behave," he said. "When kids can't achieve, they find something else to do. If we can get them into themselves and learning, that's where we can solve the problem."

Dr. Calinger has good reason to tout his experience overseeing improved achievement. During his tenure with the Richmond Heights School District in Richmond Heights, Ohio, he closed racial achievement gaps on several levels, including having 100 percent of black and white 11th-grade students in the district achieving in reading. He credited new requirements giving students an hour and a half of reading and math instruction every day for the increase.

Some of his tactics, however, have been questioned by educators in the Richmond Heights Education Association, which cast a unanimous "no confidence" vote against Dr. Calinger in February. Dr. Calinger attributed the vote to a teachers' strike in the district, which began April 30.

"[Dr.] Calinger had been in Richmond Heights only a matter of months when employee morale began to nosedive. People under his control find him arrogant, condescending, abrasive and retaliatory," reads an online statement from the Richmond Heights Education Association. Representatives from the association could not be reached for comment.

Willie Kennedy, president of the Richmond Heights school board, acknowledged tension between Dr. Calinger and teachers, but said it was mostly due to changes made by Dr. Calinger that he said were necessary to improve the district.

"He wanted to hold teachers accountable, but from my standpoint, it was the right thing to do," Mr. Kennedy said.

Mr. Kennedy also noted that the school district improved 5 percentage points on the Ohio Department of Education annual report card under Dr. Calinger. However, Mr. Kennedy also had questions about Dr. Calinger's employment with Woodland Hills because his contract with Richmond Heights does not expire until July 31. Under Ohio law, a superintendent cannot hold positions in more than one school district, but a licensed employee can resign without penalty if a letter of resignation is submitted by July 10. Mr. Kennedy said Dr. Calinger has yet to submit a letter.

"We're really going to have to ask somebody what happens in that situation," he said.

Woodland Hills district spokeswoman Maria McCool said Dr. Calinger's tenure with the district does not officially start until he takes an oath of office, which he wants to do as soon as possible. His contract in Ohio shouldn't have anything to do with when he takes the oath, he said.

He said his contract expires at the end of July and he has no intention of submitting a resignation letter unless the Richmond Heights board requests one.

While Dr. Calinger has issues to resolve with his former and new districts, he said his main focus will be to ensure every student in Woodland Hills receives a quality education.

"I believe we can be and will be a premier district in Western Pennsylvania," he said. "Today Western Pennsylvania, tomorrow the world."