The superintendent of the South Side Area School District is leaving to pursue an opportunity in the West Allegheny School District.
GREENE TWP. — The superintendent of the South Side Area School District is leaving to pursue an opportunity in the West Allegheny School District.
Tammy Adams has served as superintendent at South Side since 2013, but her career with the district dates back to 1993 when she was hired as a special education teacher. In that role, she authored an emotional support program for students and worked closely with them and their families.
Adams on Monday said she’s loved every aspect of her job in leading South Side, but her passion always remained in student services and interactions. That’s why she accepted a new position as the assistant superintendent for student services and special education at West Allegheny.
She will start her new position on July 1, and the district has already begun searching for her replacement.
Adams, who lives in Hanover Township, said it was bittersweet to accept a position outside of the district.
“I am so appreciative and honored to be a part of the South Side family, but I’m equally excited to start a new chapter in my life and to meet the needs of students and families and to collaborate with them in West Allegheny,” she said.
Adams said she told district officials in March that she intended to leave for West Allegheny because she wanted to give them as much time as possible to find the best replacement.
“I’ve been able to spend the last several months bringing closure to staff members, families and students,” she said. “I wanted to leave South Side in a good place for the next leader.”
She also spoke highly of West Allegheny, which Adams called a “premier” district that increases its academic standards and results on a yearly basis.
“I had an opportunity to meet with West Allegheny staff and I was quite impressed with their rigorous programming and their trajectory of success and the practices and programs they have in place,” she said. “I’m very excited to become a part of that.”
Joseph Dimperio, who will serve as acting superintendent for South Side until a replacement is found, said Monday that the application deadline for prospective candidates is July 11.
He added that district officials are searching in the tri-state area for a replacement.
“We have a close, tight-knit community here,” he said about the attractiveness of the job. “South Side has had a long history of being a nice community to be a part of, and that’s important for candidates to know.”
South Side, which serves six small municipalities along the southern tier of Beaver County, has an enrollment of 981 students and 96 teachers.
Prospective applicants can view or apply for the job on the district’s website.