Highlands hopes to name 3 new administrators in August

Highlands could have three new administrators when school starts in August.

Superintendent Monique Mawhinney said the district is finalizing interviews for the high school assistant principal, the athletic director/transportation director and the elementary associate principal.

“Hopefully, we will have the candidates to recommend for approval at the August board meeting,” Mawhinney said.

The school board next meets at 7 p.m. Aug. 14.

Nick LaMantia, Drew Karpen and Michael Toole are three district leaders who left their posts in recent months.

LaMantia joined Highlands at the high school about a year ago, overseeing ninth and 10th grades as an assistant principal.

He left to take a job at Deer Lakes as middle school assistant principal.

“I come from green and gold at Penn-Trafford, so I look forward to wearing it again,” LaMantia said in a Deer Lakes social media post.

Karpen, who served four years at Highlands as both athletic director and transportation director, left in June to work for the Plum School District. He will serve as athletic director and coordinator of student activities at Plum.

Before Highlands, Karpen was an assistant in the North Allegheny athletic department.

Toole, who served as associate elementary principal, didn’t leave the district but transferred to the high school in May to take over as principal.

He replaced Laura Burns, who left in March after an 18-month stint.