North Allegheny school superintendent resigns to take Mt. Lebanon post

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct that Friez’s resignation announcement was made May 1.

The North Allegheny school superintendent announced May 1 that she is resigning to become school superintendent for the Mt. Lebanon School District.

Dr. Melissa Friez announced in a districtwide email sent to North Allegheny families that she agreed to stay on at her current post for 120 days for a smooth transition. She said the Mt. Lebanon School Board voted on May 1 to hire her.

“I am humbled by the relationships I have been able to establish with students, families, staff, and administrators at NASD,” she said in the email.

The Mt. Lebanon Board of School Directors, in a 9-0 vote, appointed Friez to serve as superintendent of schools for the Mt. Lebanon School District for a five-year term, according to an announcement on its district website. Friez will replace superintendent, Dr. Timothy Steinhauer, who is retiring at the end of this school year.

Friez, of Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood, will begin her new position at a salary of $250,000, an amount confirmed by Mt. Lebanon School District spokeswoman Kristen James.

Friez began at North Allegheny in 2019 as the assistant superintendent of secondary schools before being named superintendent in 2021.

Prior to joining the North Allegheny School District, Friez served as an assistant superintendent of student support services for Pittsburgh Public Schools for five years. Prior to that, she was an assistant superintendent of instructional leadership for the city school system.

Friez also was a principal for nine years, including eight at Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood.

She has a bachelor’s degree in English literature and psychology from the University of Pittsburgh, a master’s degree in secondary English education from Duquesne University and K-12 principal certification from Carlow University.

Friez earned a doctorate in administrative and policy studies and a superintendent’s letter of eligibility from Pitt.