EASTON, Pa. — Easton Area School District Superintendent David Piperato announced his retirement, effective in August, in an email to district staff Monday morning.
“It is with mixed emotions that I share with you my intention to retire in August from my position as Superintendent of the Easton Area School District,” the email stated.
“Although I am confident in my decision to retire, I am sad to be leaving Easton and the dedicated Red Rover family that works hard daily to meet the needs of our students.”
- Easton Area School District Superintendent David Piperato is retiring
- He announced the decision in an email to staff on Monday
- Piperato has been the superintendent since Dec. 2019
When his last day arrives, he will have been in the top post with the district for more than three years.
Piperato was hired in Easton in December 2019 and came to the district from Pleasant Valley School District in Monroe County. At the time, the Easton school board voted 7-0 to hire him, with two abstentions, on a contract that runs through June 2024.
Piperato has decades of experience in education, having started his career in the Bethlehem Area School District as a business education teacher. He also served as a principal in the Palisades, Lower Merion and East Penn School Districts.
His hiring at Easton capped a five-month search which saw input from district administrators, staff, parents, students and the community.
Reached on Monday, Piperato said he was proud of the collaborative work with faculty and staff to establish an environment of trust and transparency.
"Allowing our employees to engage in the change process resulted in open communication and better results," he said. "Easton is a very special school district with many outstanding educators. I want them to feel valued and appreciated every day when they are working with our students."
Under the terms of his contract, Piperato was eligible to leave the position before his contract expired as long as he gave the district 90 days' notice.
As he reflected on his time in Easton, he said some of his favorite moments came from visiting schools across the district.
"I am so proud of our teachers and love to hear from our students," Piperato said. "When visiting elementary schools, I can always count on multiple students commenting about my height." (Piperato is 6'3" and said students look at him like a giant).
"I am confident that the district is in good hands moving forward," he said. "We have established an outstanding leadership team across the district and created systems to standardize our approach."
He said he doesn't know what the future will hold once he steps away.
"As you know, many personal passions are put on hold when we serve in public education and I am looking forward to pursuing some of them in this new stage of my life, even if I’m not yet completely sure what that will mean," he said in his email to staff.
“The complexity of our profession has only increased in the 37 years I’ve served as an educator and the way we’ve together risen to the challenge in these last few years leaves me filled with hope that future generations are in great hands.
“Serving as Easton Superintendent was the highlight of my professional career, in large part due to all of you who show up every day for our students.
“Serving as Easton Superintendent was the highlight of my professional career, in large part due to all of you who show up every day for our students. "David Piperato, EASD Superintendent
"Whether I spend time on my dock in South Carolina or embark on a new adventure in education, my life is more full, my spirit more refreshed, my mind more clear because of my time in Easton.”
