An especially large “retirement class” of employees will exit the North Allegheny School District in June, taking with them a combined 518 years of service, according to Marijane Treacy, human resources director for the district.

The North Allegheny School Board approved 23 resignations at its Feb. 15 meeting — 19 of them retirements. The retirement class in February 2022 was 11.

Treacy said the prospective retirees consist of professionals and paraprofessionals.

“Spring retirement classes for professional and paraprofessional employees fluctuate in both number of retirees and total combined years of services,” Treacy said.

Despite a nationwide teacher shortage, Treacy doesn’t anticipate challenges in filling the positions.

“North Allegheny remains a destination employer due to the quality of our district, the work environment, and our competitive employment package. We will begin recruiting for these positions later this spring,” she said.

By August of 2025, the state Department of Education estimates Pennsylvania will need thousands of new teachers, hundreds of new principals, and thousands of educators in other critical roles, according to department figures from 2022.

While the overall numbers of new educators entering the profession continues to decline, the rate of educators leaving continues to grow.

Among the NA retires are Heather Esswein a gifted support teacher at Franklin Elementary with 37 years at NA, and Diane Fischer of Ingomar Elementary kindergarten with 36 years at NA. Kathleen Slowick, an art teacher at Ingomar Middle, Joanne Sullivan, a business teacher at the high school, and Penny Zunski, a music teacher at Peebles Elementary, each worked 34 years for the district.

All retirement dates are listed in June. Retirees would be honored later this spring, Treacy said.

NA School Board President Libby Blackburn said large retirements in the spring are typical.

“We want to thank all of these wonderful employees for all their work at North Allegheny. Our staff is what allows our education to go so well for all of the students,” Blackburn said.

Also, at this meeting Treacy presented an updated staffing report reflecting the 2022-2023 school year as of Feb. 1. as of that date, 195 positions at NASD were filled since the start of the year, with 19 left open. Openings include professional, paraprofessional, administrative and nonadministrative positions.

It did not include ongoing staffing needs for the transportation department.

“We’re always hiring bus drivers,” Treacy said.

Overall, 91 percent of staffing needs were met up to Feb. 1, according to Treacy.

School Board Director Paige Hardy acknowledged five retirements at the Marshall campus including Principal Secretary Linda Saxton and Library Secretary Susan Bayer, both at Marshall Middle; fourth-grade teacher Julie McLaughlin, second-grade teacher Cristina Hutton, and Principal Secretary Ellen Cavaliere, all at Marshall Elementary.

“Between the five of them, they have a truly amazing combined 114 years at North Allegheny,” said Hardy, who has children enrolled at the Marshall campus.

The district begins planning for staffing in March with recruitment efforts in April, Treacy said.

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