Peters Township Selects New Superintendent From Pittsburgh Public Schools

French comes to Peters Township from the City of Pittsburgh Public Schools where she currently serves as the deputy superintendent. French has a five-year contract with Peters and will receive an annual salary of $160,000.

“We are excited to have found such an excellent candidate in Dr. French,” said Cindy Golembiewski, board president, “She is the right person to lead this district to the next level.”

French has spent the past 16 years in Pittsburgh Public Schools in various roles including behavior specialist, coordinator of health services, coordinator of student services, regional coordinator, principal, assistant superintendent of K-8 and middle schools and chief of school performance. 

“While we are excited for Dr. French’s new opportunity as superintendent, we are sad to see her leave,” said Linda Lane, superintendent of Pittsburgh Public Schools. “Dr. French is extremely talented, and her commitment to the children of the Pittsburgh Public Schools has been unmatched. Her departure is a real loss for Pittsburgh, but we’re happy she will continue to serve children in southwestern Pennsylvania.”

Prior to joining the Pittsburgh Public Schools, French worked for Allegheny Neuropsychiatric Institute, Allegheny General Hospital and Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic concentrating on the treatment of children with externalizing disorders.

French holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Allegheny College.  She received her master’s degree in Psychology and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Duquesne University. Her initial educational certification is in secondary guidance from Duquesne University. She received her principal certification from Carnegie Mellon University and her superintendent’s letter of eligibility from the University of Pittsburgh.

“We are pleased to have someone as experienced as Dr. French to lead the Peters Township administrative team,” said Dr. Joseph Dimperio, Acting Superintendent.  “She shares the board’s focus on school performance, and has much to offer this already outstanding district.”

The appointment of the new superintendent is the culmination of a five-month search process that included extensive staff and community focus groups and a nation-wide search conducted by Dr. Joseph O’Brien from the Chester County Intermediate Unit in eastern Pennsylvania, in conjunction with Charles Mahoney, executive director of Intermediate Unit 1 which serves the schools in Washington County.

“We appreciate the feedback of the staff, parents and community stakeholders in this process—whether they participated in a focus group, or called and emailed the search committee. It was our community who guided the parameters in the search for superintendent,” said David Hvizdos, board member and chairperson of the personnel committee.