Greater Latrobe School Board promotes Robin Pynos as second assistant superintendent

Greater Latrobe School Board has promoted Robin Pynos to a new assistant superintendent position, as the latest step in realigning the district’s central administrative staff.

The board this week approved a five-year term for Pynos as assistant superintendent for curriculum, technology and instruction as she resigned from her previous role — director of curriculum, technology and instruction. The move was subject to signing a formal contract, to be approved by district Solicitor Ned Nakles.

In August, when Michael Porembka was promoted to assistant superintendent, Pynos assumed some of the curriculum and professional development responsibilities that were part of his former job as director of teaching and learning — a position that the school board eliminated this week.

Superintendent Georgia Teppert, who was promoted from assistant superintendent in July, said Pynos’s newly enhanced role “puts her in a better position to make decisions and streamlines our entire curriculum and technology process. It gives us the foundation to have a solid administrative organization, to utilize the strengths of everybody here.”

Stressing “the impact technology has in every single department,” Teppert said the district hopes to fill the newly created position of curriculum and software services assistant in January. The latest batch of applications are due Friday for the job that will provide Pynos support by helping to manage network security functions and instructional, administrative and operational software systems.

“We’re continuing to interview for that position,” Teppert said.

Between reshuffling existing staff and eliminating the teaching and learning post, Teppert said the administrative realignment is expected to result in a one-time cost savings of $43,546 plus recurring annual savings of $83,014.

In January, the school board also is expected to select an appointee to fill a seat on that governing panel that will be vacated by Michael O’Barto. He has completed half of his four-year term as an elected school director but will leave after being elected a Unity Township supervisor, a role he previously held for 24 years.

O’Barto said he intends to submit a letter making his resignation from the school board effective Jan. 5, a day before he begins a new six-year term as a township supervisor.

O’Barto attended his last scheduled board meeting on Tuesday but said he would delay resigning from the panel “so we have a full board just in case something comes up.”