Superintendent Switch
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Track Story
“Well, I remember being a junior high school track and field coach and trying to motivate our team to beat Derry, and I told the team if they won, I would take them all out for ice cream. That was a one-time deal. They won and I honestly knew they were going to win. I just wanted them to have a little extra motivation and the bus pulled into Barkley’s ice cream store out in Derry and that was a pretty hefty bill because they were like one hundred and twenty kids on the track team that I kept my promise. It was pretty expensive, but I think the kids enjoyed it.”
His motivation
“It wasn’t about the funny things for me. It was about watching and celebrating your successes. When I say student successes, and helping kids through their failures and providing a different path and saying, ‘Okay, you screwed up, but here’s how we get out of this, right?’ It was always about the kids and how to give them the best experience possible and provide them with the tools to make them successful, no matter what they chose to do after they graduated from high school.”
Relationships
“We always talk to our teachers about building relationships with kids. You can’t have a great relationship with every kid. But if you can build a great relationship with several kids, think about all the teachers who have touched your lives through your time at Latrobe. But, those were some funny ones for me. I also enjoyed watching everyone succeed and whether it was on an athletic field, or whether it was a musical or a concert, or whether it was a competition, an academic competition that went to seeing our kids succeed, it was the best for me. Sometimes it was those kids that maybe struggled a bit coming through school and then I would meet them a few years out after they graduated and they would come back and they would tell me how well they were doing. And that was great too, you know, just knowing that you had an impact on somebody to help make them successful.”
His love for the band
“When you think about our band or you know, even our cheerleaders, that’s the heartbeat of school spirit and pride in a school. You’ve been to basketball games. You see how the Pep Band creates a completely different atmosphere in that gym for a basketball game. And them and the cheerleaders feed off of the Pep Band and the Pep Band feeds off the cheerleaders and our players feed off of the Pep Band too. And it’s the same with the marching band at a Friday night football game. I have to give Coach Prady credit too, because he wanted to make the band a part of the team. And there’s a synergy there and it all goes back to just school pride and getting kids motivated”
The Polkas
“So my band was playing, and I had Mr.Czekaj ask me and a couple of my bandmates to come in and do a class on polkas last year, so I did. We talked about some of the jobs that we play throughout the summer. Well, last summer we were playing up at the Rusnok Pavilion at Twin Lakes Park and I didn’t know that some of the marching band kids came out to hear us because it’s a big outdoor amphitheater pavilion. There’s a big hill and you don’t always get to see everybody that’s there. One of the things that I do with the pep band or the marching band from time to time is I’ll give them an “OH YEAH!”, and they answer back, “OH YEAH!” It’s one of our things. So, my band’s playing, and we came to the end of our time playing and at the end of the last song, we always introduced everybody in the band. One of the guys introduced me and all of a sudden, I heard from out on the hill a bunch of kids yelling, “OH YEAH!” back at me. I had no idea, but for them to take time to come out and see me and do that kind of tore me up a little bit. And I told them that in the end, that was special. I hope that kids knew that I cared about them deeply and just wanted the best for them. Their coming out showed me that they cared too. It’s a funny story, but it’s a microcosm of my feelings for the district and our community. I just always wanted things to be right and I wanted the opportunities to be many and impactful and help set them up. That just shows how everyone feels touched.”
Alumni Back in the School
“One of the things that makes me feel really good about my time in the district is the number of graduates that we have hired to be on our staff at Latrobe. The number of Greater Latrobe graduates that I have been involved with hiring over the last twenty years, I think speaks volumes for our district and how our graduates feel about the education that they received here at Greater Latrobe, that they want to come back and they want to pay it forward in in in some way or another. Their school experience meant that much to them, that they want to come back and they want to give our current students that same opportunity that they had.”
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After his sudden retirement, Mr. Porembka has managed to stay involved and has truly helped the school transition from one superintendent to the other. Mrs. Pellis said they are long-time colleagues and he is always just a phone call away. With his involvement throughout the years, his children going to school in the district, and Mrs. Porembka still teaching at the school, Mr. Porembka remains committed to the schools and will continue to help during this time of change for students, staff, and families.
Although she already has an administrative position, Mrs. Pellis is honored to serve the district in this role of authority. She was born and raised in the area, and Latrobe is her home, as are her kids. She will maintain her dedication to the district’s achievements in the arts, academic, and athletic departments. Her positive attitude and determination will highlight the importance of a well-constructed and functioning school.
Mrs. Pellis, interim superintendent, elaborated on her experience with the smooth transition into the role, noting she had previously worked with the former superintendent, Mr. Porembka. Because they previously were both elementary school principals, they have been collaborating with work for many years. When the school district promoted Mr. Porembka to superintendent, Mrs. Pellis moved to Assistant to the Superintendent of Elementary Education. Currently fulfilling that role and being interim superintendent has created her biggest challenge. To avoid any obstacles, Mrs. Pellis prioritizes the importance of daily tasks and not creating undue stress. Being superintendent tends to take some precedence over her other position, but with the help of her fellow administrators, they have yet to endure any insurmountable issues.
The help with adjusting to the new position has been greatly appreciated by Mrs. Pellis. The central office workers and staff such as the secretaries, guidance counselors, and the technology department have been critical in the smooth transition. With inclement weather and school delays or cancellations, Mrs. Pellis is required to continue with her planned meetings, creating difficulty in resolving issues locally. Ms. Mandy Newcomer, head of curriculum and software services, delegated and resolved the many tickets the school received with the first flexible instruction day. Although the workload she takes on is for two people, Mrs. Pellis recognizes how her support team has helped her immensely and made her job doable.
With her title being interim superintendent, the position isn’t necessarily her permanent job. Mrs. Pellis will remain in her role until a new superintendent is hired. There is no exact timeline; the school board hasn’t begun the interview process. The district agreed to start the search process, yet hasn’t posted the role for official interviews. Mrs. Pellis will proceed to give her insight into the best candidate, but ultimately, the school board will make the final decision. With it being short-term, Mrs. Pellis has no long-term plans for the next school year. Maintaining the status quo and finishing the second semester of school will be critical. She will continue ongoing initiatives created before her step-up promotion, which is nothing new.
“Mike was always so kind and approachable to work with! The first interaction I can remember was when he had to give me directions over the phone and help get me to Baggaley Elementary School from Saltsburg High School, which was no easy feat for my navigation abilities. I was a long-term substitute in the district, and I just remember that conversation and the time he took to help get me to Baggaley and welcome me to the district. Mike will be sorely missed, he is the best!” – Mrs. Albright
“He would always be there for me and my family. He would always ask me how I was doing. He would take time out of this day to come to my elementary school and say hi to me in class. He had a great impact on me as a person. When my dad died, he was at his funeral. Also, when my brother played football he would always call him the “Mini Fridge” and that would make me laugh. He was also my flag football coach in 4th grade. Thank you for being a great coach and role model.” – Bryce Shuey
“Mr. Porembka would film beside me when I filmed the football huddle. We always laughed and he would try to teach me how the game works. Now that he is retired I’m going to miss our shared laughter and the jokes we shared on and off the field.” – Nina Steele
“I always loved his vivid, inspirational, and hilarious storytelling on in-service days! I loved watching the joy he got from interacting with the students. He also made a huge impact on my son volunteering as a junior pro basketball coach.” -Mrs. Perowski
“He always made it a point to talk to the band and cheer for us even if no one else was. He always had something nice to say about everything, and was the best principal my elementary school had.” – Leah Olson
“Mr. Porembka supported the Cast and crew of “The Wizard of Oz” – Marie Patterson
“He was with the [wrestling] team for so many trips and it was like he was a part of the team.” – Luke Willochel
“Mr. Porembka was my principal in elementary school. I have anxiety and did not like going to school and he used to greet me at the door and walk me to my class.” – Gracie Mahanes
“A fond memory I have with Mr. Porembka was him sitting with me at every game for pep band and we would just sit and talk about how our week was.” – Nate Billett
“I enjoyed our pre–and post-game interviews before and after football games. Win or lose, Mr. P always puts our program in the best possible light.” – Mr. Marucco
“During the pep band, he made the “OH YAH” chant which is now one of the band’s favorite chants.” – Dominic Durigon