South Fayette announces administrative moves
South Fayette school directors approved a number of administrative changes at their Feb. 24 meeting.
Thomas “T.J.” Salopek has been appointed the new principal of South Fayette High School.
Salopek will take over for Dr. Natasha Dirda, who has accepted the position of assistant superintendent with the Mt. Lebanon School District. Dirda will remain at South Fayette until June 30.
Salopek, who is currently one of the school’s assistant principals, began his career teaching social studies at North Allegheny Senior High School for five years. He then became assistant principal at Pine Richland High School, where he served from March 2019 through June 2021. He returned to North Allegheny as assistant principal from August 2021 until he transitioned to South Fayette in June 2024.
Justin Liberatore has been appointed principal of South Fayette Intermediate School. Liberatore began his career at South Fayette as a teacher from 2006 to 2008.
Liberatore brings five years of classroom experience and 20 years of administrative leadership to the role.
A 2021 Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation Most Valuable Principal (MVP) recipient, Liberatore brings five years of classroom experience and 20 years of administrative leadership to the role. Since 2008, he has served in the West Jefferson Hills School District as a middle school vice principal and later as principal of McClelland Elementary in Pleasant Hills.
The district is conducting searches for an additional assistant principal for the high
school and an assistant principal for the intermediate school.