The Deer Lakes Board of School Directors unanimously approved a 5-year contract for Dr. Janet R. Ciramella as the District's new Superintendent at the January 21, 2013 meeting. She is the District's seventh superintendent.

A Pittsburgh resident, Dr. Ciramella has been serving as the Acting Superintendent after the retirement of Dr. Dean A. Casello in June 2012 and will assume the Superintendent's position effective July 1, 2013.

Prior to accepting the Acting Superintendent's position, Dr. Ciramella was the Assistant Superintendent from September 2003. The major areas of her responsibilities as Assistant Superintendent were curriculum and instruction through which the district addressed maintaining a high standard of excellence in the teaching and learning process and preparing students for advancement. Dr. Ciramella was also the coordinator of All Federal Programs.

Dr. Ciramella was the Principal of Curtisville Primary Center, Coordinator for Title I, and all Federal Programs, since February of 1999. Previous to that, she was the Assistant Principal and then Principal, Elementary Curriculum Coordinator, and Chapter I Coordinator of the former John F. Kennedy Elementary School in East Deer Township, Curtisville Elementary School, and East Union Elementary Center.

Before joining the Deer Lakes staff in 1990, Dr. Ciramella was a teacher at St. Raphael's in the Morningside area of Pittsburgh, and she was principal at St. Philomena's in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Ciramella holds Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from the University of Pittsburgh, as well as a Masters Degree in Education and a Doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh.

The board and audience members received her appointment with applause.

"I appreciate the confidence the board has shown me in appointing me as superintendent of Deer Lakes," Ciramella said. "My focus and goal is for academic excellence for our students in the Deer Lakes community."