Yough hires Mt. Pleasant Area assistant superintendent as new superintendent
Yough School District will have a new superintendent with a familiar face — the former middle school principal.
Mt. Pleasant Area School District Assistant Superintendent Anthony DeMaro was hired by the Yough School Board last week as the district’s next superintendent under terms of a five-year contract. DeMaro, who will receive a $150,000 in his first year, will succeed Janet Sardon, who is leaving Yough Aug. 5 to become superintendent of West Jefferson Hills School District in Allegheny County.
DeMaro, 50, of North Huntingdon, who spent the past eight years at Mt. Pleasant Area, will start his new job Aug. 22.
Hired by a unanimous vote, DeMaro was “by far” the best candidate among about eight applicants for the position, said Jared Filapose, Yough board president.
“He will bring a new perspective. He will continue the tradition of her (Sardon’s) success. We have very high expectations for him,” Filapose said.
DeMaro, who served as a Yough Intermediate Middle School principal for three years, said he is “excited to begin my leadership role in the Yough School District and continue working together with all stakeholders to make a difference in public education and the lives of students.”
Sardon said she is excited to turn over the superintendent’s position to DeMaro, “knowing his past, knowing his background and knowing the work he has done in Mt. Pleasant.”
DeMaro, an educator for 28 years, previously taught kindergarten and reading and was a Title I facilitator in McKeesport Area School District, where he was nominated for Disney Teacher of the Year. He was an assistant principal and principal at McKeesport, as well as a principal at Claysburg-Kimmel Elementary School in Blair County.
A graduate of Serra Catholic High School in McKeesport, DeMaro has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Penn State, a master’s degree in education and administrative policy studies from the University of Pittsburgh and a superintendent’s letter of eligibility from Gannon University in Erie.
Mt. Pleasant Area has advertised for candidates for his position.
Joe Napsha is a TribLive reporter covering Irwin, North Huntingdon and the Norwin School District. He also writes about business issues. He grew up on Neville Island and has worked at the Trib since the early 1980s. He can be reached at jnapsha@triblive.com.
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