Deer Lakes School District has a new acting principal at East Union Intermediate Center.
Jodi VanderSchaaff, a 1999 Deer Lakes graduate, takes over for Jamie Schweinberg, who is taking a school board-approved medical leave.
VanderSchaaff holds degrees from Slippery Rock University and California University of Pennsylvania and has taught at the school since 2002. She began as a fourth-grade teacher and, for the past eight years, worked as a learning support teacher. For the past decade, VanderSchaaff also served as a head teacher for her department.
The school board Tuesday approved VanderSchaaff’s appointment by an 8-0 vote. She will receive a salary of close to $80,000 .
According to Schweinberg, VanderSchaaff is the perfect choice to lead while he is out.
“Jodi is one of the most well-liked and well-respected teachers in our entire school district,” Schweinberg said. “Over the past several years, I have had the opportunity to work closely with her on a number of projects and I cannot imagine a better, more qualified choice to take over for me than Principal VanderSchaaff.”
VanderSchaaff said she considers Schweinberg both a mentor and a friend and she is honored to have been chosen by the administration.
“I am very confident that we will have a smooth transition because I already have such strong relationships with the teaching staff and so many of our families,” she said. “I look forward to continuing the many good things we are already doing for our students and I’m excited to implement some new approaches as well.”
Taking over for VanderSchaaff in the classroom this school year will be Emily N. Marcellus. She will be paid a salary of nearly $45,500 as a long-term substitute.
