The North Allegheny School District’s director of student services has been named the district’s assistant superintendent of elementary education. Dr. Michele Dowell officially starts her new position on July 11, when the retirement of Dr. James Bradley becomes effective. The North Allegheny School Board on April 27 unanimously named her to the post. Dowell joined North Allegheny as director of student services for the 2021-2022 school year and began serving as substitute assistant superintendent of elementary education after Bradley went on leave Nov. 30. Dr. Dan Swoger filled in as interim director of student services. "I hope to continue the great academic excellence at North Allegheny with an emphasis on building consistency among the elementary schools. With my background in student services, I also want to make sure that we are addressing the needs of the whole child as well as academics,” Dowell said. The NA school board also unanimously hired Dr. Nancy Bowman, the principal at Pine-Richland High School, for the newly-created position of coordinator of curriculum and instruction for grades six through 12. The assistant superintendent of elementary education was approved with an annual salary of $143,500. And the coordinator of curriculum and instruction grades six to 12 has an annual salary of $110,000, according to the April 27 school board discussion. Dowell holds a bachelor’s in elementary education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and a master’s in special education from Old Dominion University, in Norfolk, Va. She holds a special education supervision/principal certificate from Duquesne University, obtained her Superintendent’s Letter of Eligibility from the California University of Pennsylvania, and received a doctoral degree in educational leadership from Youngstown State University, in Ohio. "The assistant superintendent of elementary education supports our K-5 principals, staff, students, and families by developing long and short-range plans to ensure a positive learning environment and student growth, especially during the transition from elementary to middle school,” said North Allegheny school Superintendent Dr. Melissa Friez. Dowell began her career as a special education teacher in the Charlottesville City School District in Charlottesville, Va. She accepted a principal position with the Southwood School before transitioning to the director of special education at Career Connections Charter High School, both in Pittsburgh, according to her biography on the NA website. She served as elementary principal and then superintendent of schools for the Belle Vernon Area School District, the latter for three years. As the principal at Belle Vernon, Dowell developed reading and math programs for K-6 students that increased reading and math scores on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessments for all students, and in reading and math scores for special education students over five years. Dowell also was an assistant high school principal at the Elizabeth Forward School District. Dowell resides in Bethel Park with her husband, Dr. Rich Dowell, and has two children, Jake, 21, and Carly, 15. The new curriculum and instruction coordinator six to 12 to be held by Bowman, along with creating an additional kindergarten-to-five position, are part of a new structure for NA’s administration, according to Dr. Joseph Sciullo, NA’s assistant superintendent of secondary education. Bowman will report directly to Sciullo, and the K-5 curriculum and instruction coordinator will report to Dowell to better support the curriculum needs in each grade band, he said. These two new positions will replace the director of curriculum and instruction post left vacant prior to the school year when Dr. Jillian Bichsel accepted a position at Avonworth School District. "We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Nancy Bowman to North Allegheny. Dr. Bowman has a reputation of being passionate about students, high expectations for all, and a genuine love for all things education. I am confident that our entire secondary staff and all of our students will benefit from her joining our NA family,” Sciullo said. Bowman has experience as a middle school teacher, including at North Allegheny’s Carson Middle School; a middle school assistant principal and principal; and director of curriculum. Her resignation at Pine-Richland is official June 30, and she begins at North Allegheny on July 1, according to Pine-Richland. Natalie Beneviat is a Trib Total Media contributing writer. and help us continue covering the stories that matter to you and your community.