Another top administrator resigns from Leechburg Area School District, plans to return to teaching

The Leechburg Area School District is losing another administrator — but not the employee.

Doug Rodgers is leaving his role as middle and high school principal to return to teaching in the district next fall.

The board voted to accept Rodgers’ resignation Wednesday, although school officials referred to him only by his employee number. They then appointed him, also using only his employee number, as a teacher starting next fall.

After the motion, no mention of Rodgers was made and further details were not provided at the meeting, but Rodgers confirmed his upcoming switch in positions to TribLive.

Rodgers’ announcement comes on the heels of former Superintendent Tiffany Nix’s resignation in December after working alongside Rodgers for seven years.

Board Vice President Andrew Pallus said Thursday morning he could not comment on Rodgers’ resignation from his principal’s post, saying it was a personnel matter.

“I cannot elaborate more than that, and I apologize I cannot,” said Pallus, referring all questions to interim Solicitor Gary Matta.

Matta declined to comment Thursday on the details of Rodgers’ teaching position.

Rodgers has served seven years as principal. He cited family reasons as a main contributor to his decision to step down.

“It has become increasingly difficult to be the dad I want to be and also the principal I want to be,” Rodgers said. “So, to me, the choice is easy. I’ve always stressed a family-first approach with our staff, and I truly believe in that.”

His resignation will become effective June 30.

Before being hired at Leechburg, Rodgers served as a principal in the Clarion-Limestone Area School District for eight years.

In his leadership role, he helped Nix spearhead a new middle school curriculum in the high school building for sixth, seventh and eighth grades, with a separate wing in the building exclusively for those students.

Rodgers noted society has changed over the past 15 years he has worked as a principal.

“Two of the things I believe in most are accountability and respect,” he said. “I don’t think those are valued in today’s world nearly as much as they used to be.”

Rodgers, 44, has worked in education for 22 years and likely will work with middle school students.

“When we took over, the school was on a list of the bottom 15% of academic performing schools in (Pennsylvania),” Rodgers said. “We attacked that immediately and have improved a great deal in that area.”

When Rodgers was hired, he replaced William McNamee, who retired.

Leechburg enrolls 678 students from a population of about 6,000 residents residing in Gilpin, Leechburg and West Leechburg.