Freeport Area School Board hired a substitute superintendent Monday to shepherd the district until a permanent one is hired.
Larry Robb, the district's program coordinator, was hired to temporarily fill the void left by the resignation of Chris DeVivo.
The board accepted DeVivo's resignation effective July 1, the same date Robb will assume his additional duties. DeVivo is leaving to become the superintendent of the Armstrong School District.
Robb was approved by a 6-0 vote with Frank Borrelli, John Marty and Mark Shoaf absent.
Board member Frank Prazenica initially said he was voting to hire Robb for the temporary position but voting against paying him a $5,000-per-month stipend. Robb's regular annual salary is $131,000.
Prazenica said he understood that taking over for the superintendent in the event of his absence is part of Robb's job. He said the stipend amounts to around $250 per day. For that amount, the district could have brought in a retired superintendent as a substitute instead of using Robb.
Board President Daniel Lucovich, however, said that filling in for the superintendent is not in Robb's job description and that the district really doesn't have anyone designated to step in if the superintendent is on a prolonged absence.
On the matter of hiring a retired superintendent, Lucovich said, “We looked at substitutes, and it would have cost about $500 a day.”
Prazenica decided to change his vote on the stipend but said the board needs to consider changing job descriptions to allow someone to become acting superintendent when needed.
Lucovich said Robb will only be in the temporary post for about two months. The board anticipates hiring a new superintendent by September.
In another personnel move, Shawn W. Stivenson was hired in a 7-0 vote as the district's school and student events coordinator. That includes the athletic director's duties.
He will start working Wednesday and will be paid an annual salary of $58,000.
That position was formerly held by Todd O'Shell who resigned to take a position with ABC Transit, a bus company in Etna. His last day at Freeport Area is today.
Tom Yerace is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-226-4675 or tyerace@tribweb.com.
