Woodland Hills School District appoints Denise Sedlacek as interim superintendent

On Wednesday night, the Woodland Hills School District appointed Denise Sedlacek as the district's interim superintendent. 

The appointment of Sedlacek comes amid the leave and hearings regarding the conduct of former superintendent Joe Maluchnik. 

Sedlacek has 40 years of experience working in education, including 33 of those years as an administrator in western Pennsylvania. Most recently, she served as the interim superintendent of the Wilkinsburg School District. Prior to that, she retired in November 2024 after five years as the assistant superintendent and director of human resources for the Plum Borough School District. 

"Ms. Sedlacek brings exceptional leadership, strategic vision, and a longstanding commitment to educational excellence," Woodland Hills School District said in a statement. "Throughout her distinguished career, she has remained focused on ensuring that every student has access to high-quality learning opportunities and the support needed to achieve success."

While serving as an assistant superintendent, the district earned several state and national recognitions for innovation and educational excellence. They included a designation as a "Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools" and recognition as the 200th Google Reference District worldwide. 

"We are excited to welcome Ms. Sedlacek to Woodland Hills," said Ms. Karen Lyons, president of the Board of School Directors. "Her extensive experience, collaborative leadership style, and unwavering commitment to student achievement make her exceptionally well suited to lead the district during this transition. We look forward to working together to continue building on the district's strengths and creating new opportunities for our students, staff, and families."

Sedlacek will begin her role as the interim superintendent on Friday, July 24, 2026.