Dan Gilroy takes helm as Riverside School District superintendent

The Riverside School District will start a brand new college 12 months with a brand new superintendent at its helm.

Dan Gilroy was named superintendent earlier this 12 months and began in his new place earlier this month, incomes a wage of $150,000. The Archbald native, 49, involves the district after main the Forest City Regional School District as superintendent for 3 years and is not any stranger to Riverside, having served as vice principal at Riverside Junior-Senior High School from 2009 to 2011.

While he by no means envisioned returning, Gilroy mentioned he’s excited to take action because the district’s chief — noting there are nonetheless individuals employed within the district that he remembers, in addition to former college students who are actually coaches.

“I loved my time when I was first here,” he mentioned.

A graduate of Bishop O’Hara High School, he obtained a Bachelor of Science diploma in political science with a secondary social research certification from Wilkes University, a Master of Education from the University of Scranton and a Doctorate of Education from Delaware Valley University.

He started his profession instructing social research at St. Michael’s School for Boys and Valley View High School. Gilroy additionally coached baseball, soccer and ladies basketball at Valley View, and held administrative positions within the Scranton School District for 13 years.

Gilroy takes the reins of the district from Paul Brennan, who held the place from 2013 till earlier this 12 months. Brennan remains to be working within the district as chief adviser for district excellence and engagement, a place to which board members named him earlier this 12 months.

Gilroy, who labored with Brennan within the district, mentioned he’s completely satisfied Brennan remains to be with Riverside.

“We got a good connection back then and we stayed connected all the way through (my career), even when I got the job in Forest City,” he mentioned.

Brennan praised Gilroy as the brand new superintendent Wednesday.

“I’ve known Dan for many years, both personally and professionally, and I’ve had the opportunity to see firsthand the impact of his leadership as a superintendent,” he mentioned in a textual content message. “He is an experienced and dedicated leader who puts kids first and I am confident that Riverside is in very good hands.”

As superintendent, Gilroy needs to proceed a few of Brennan’s initiatives, together with sharing district information on social media, whereas shifting the district ahead, which incorporates serving to college students obtain academically, on the sports activities fields and within the arts. He additionally seems ahead to working with a brand new administrative group at the highschool — Principal Mina Ardestani and Vice Principal Toni Oustrich — district academics and households.

Gilroy mentioned he additionally hopes to be fiscally accountable to taxpayers whereas offering the perfect training to youngsters in Taylor and Moosic and to be a visual presence locally. That consists of coping with the problem of constitution college tuition, which the district should pay for every baby who enrolls in a single.

While he believes dad and mom ought to have a selection with their baby’s training, he mentioned it has been proven that college students in public college obtain higher on standardized assessments than these at constitution colleges. Gilroy hopes to incentivize college students to remain within the district with a brand new platform for the district’s digital academy.

Gilroy involves the district throughout a time of change within the scholastic athletic panorama. The state House of Representatives accredited a invoice within the spring that permits the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association to conduct separate playoffs for personal and public colleges. The invoice has been touted by small districts like Riverside and neighboring Old Forge, which really feel non-public colleges of comparable measurement have an unfair benefit as a result of they’ll usher in gamers from throughout the state, outdoors of the state and even outdoors the nation.

Gilroy and Old Forge Superintendent Christopher Gatto, together with 4 different superintendents, met with senators trying to push the laws within the state Senate in Harrisburg final week and plans to proceed to advocate for smaller colleges like Riverside and Old Forge. He mentioned he needs non-public colleges to have the ability to take part in sports activities alongside public colleges however needs the postseason playoffs to be separate.

“We’re not trying to take away their opportunities, we just want a fair playing field come the postseason,” Gilroy mentioned.

Last month, the Riverside Junior Vikings Football & Cheerleading group canceled the 2026 season because of an absence of participation and registrations. Gilroy mentioned the college board, district officers and the top soccer coach, Jimmy Tucker, are conscious of the cancellation and plan to debate it, including youngsters ought to have alternatives to take part in sports activities.

Gilroy mentioned whereas it was exhausting leaving Forest City Regional, he’s wanting ahead to the chance to steer Riverside.

“I loved my time at Forest City — the people of Forest City were outstanding — but Riverside provided an opportunity for me to grow professionally and it was an opportunity to come back to someplace I was before,” he mentioned. “I really enjoyed my time here.”