Two new assistant principals will be joining the Pleasant Valley School District with one at the high school and one at the middle school, plus the district’s cyber academy has a new counselor. The assistant principal positions are new.

Lori Fulmer, the director of Human Resources, said that the high school administration is changing from two co-principals and one assistant principal to one principal and three assistant principals. The middle school is adding a second assistant principal. Both schools also have a dean of students.

The Pleasant Valley School Board approved hiring Amber Chiafulio to join the staff at the high school as the third assistant principal. Two weeks ago, the board approved hiring Ariella Mease as the second assistant principal. They join Jeremy Byrd, who was hired as an assistant principal in January to replace Jamie Rockwell.

Principal Brian Boylan will remain while Principal Jonathan Ayre will move into his new position as supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction for the school district. The dean of students is Daisy Genovese.

Ramon Rodriguez was hired as the second assistant principal at the middle school. He will be joining Principal Kendal Askins, Assistant Principal Josephine Dyett-Fields and Richard Rimple, the dean of students.

And Ariana Leibenguth was approved as the new school counselor for the Bears Acadmey. She will be replacing Brian Morgan, who is going back to being a counselor at the high school.

All three new hires will start July 1.

Currently, Rodriguez and Chiafulio are both from the Bethlehem Area School District. Rodriguez is a dean of students at Northeast Middle School and was a school counselor prior to that. He has more than 20 years of experience working with middle school students. Rodriguez will be joining PVMS with a salary of $86,000.

“I love the age levels. I love the change that happens. I love the growth that happens from sixth to eighth, so I am familiar with the middle school. I’m seasoned with the middle school,” Rodriguez said. “I’ve seen a lot of success with the middle school.”

Rodriguez added that he wants to be a positive influence, and be an advocate for the students, as well as the teachers “making a climate where we all can live and grow.”

Chiafulio is a biology teacher at Freedom High School with 18 years of experience. This will be her first position as an assistant principal. Her salary will be $85,500.

Chiafulio said she recently completed an administrative program. “I was looking for my administrative home and I found it here with Pleasant Valley.”

Leibenguth just completed her master’s degree this month, and this is her first position as a school counselor. She is coming in at Step 1 with a salary of $56,842.

“I was blessed to be called back by them,” Leibenguth said. “I feel so lucky.”

Leibenguth, 24, said that she thinks she will be able to connect with the students because of her age, familiarity with technology, and experience as a student taking classes virtually. She was working on her bachelor’s degree when COVID-19 happened.

“I had to finish my last year at DeSales (University) online,” Leibenguth said. “I think the main thing they want to focus on with the Bears Academy is engagement. Reaching out to kids. You may be at home doing school, but you’re still a part of this district.”