The Hempfield Area School Board on Monday granted Superintendent Andy Leopold a medical leave of absence and appointed Dr. Barbara Marin acting superintendent.
Board President Sonya Brajdic refused to discuss the reasons behind Leopold's departure or his future with the school district, citing “personnel reasons.” The motion granting leave did not specify how long Leopold would be off or whether he would return to the position.
Leopold declined comment.
Marin, 63, has been the assistant superintendent for elementary education. She will be paid an additional $3,000 a month in addition to her regular salary of $122,000 when she was reappointed to the position in 2011.
Leopold, 44, was hired as assistant superintendent for secondary education in 2007 after serving as principal of a middle school in the Gateway School District in Allegheny County. He was promoted to superintendent in 2011 when Terry Foriska retired. Leopold and Marin were the only two candidates interviewed for Foriska's job.
Leopold is a native of Homestead and taught in the Indiana School District in Indiana County before being hired at Gateway.
