Philipsburg-Osceola Area School District superintendent accepts job in New Castle

Philipsburg-Osceola Area School District will soon be on the lookout for a new superintendent after Gregg Paladina announced his departure from the district.

Paladina, who has served as the district’s superintendent for 11 years, has accepted a position as superintendent at New Castle Area School District in Lawrence County. Paladina said he will give the board his resignation letter during its August meeting and will serve as superintendent until the first week of October. Paladina said he plans to help the district find a consultant to help with the new superintendent search.

“I’m gonna leave Phillipsburg on a high note but I think that the people are great here and I think that we have a lot to be proud of in this district,” he said.

The New Castle Area school board approved Paladina’s hiring 6-2 on Monday but not before a community member brought forth concerns about a 2017 sexual harassment lawsuit against Paladina, according to an article from New Castle News. Paladina was accused by a former employee of sexual harassment and gender discrimination but the case was settled by a mediator.

Although Paladina is currently under contract with the Philipsburg-Osceola School District, he plans on signing a five-year contract with New Castle with an annual salary of $178,000 with raises of 2.5-3% each year.

During his time at P-O, Paladina oversaw the construction of new athletic facilities, improvements in the science curriculum and renovations of the former North Lincoln Hill Elementary into Philipsburg-Osceola Middle School.

“I think Philipsburg is now a good district to live in and it’s a good place to send kids,” Paladina said. “The scores are good and they’re comparable to other districts in the Centre County region.”