Carlynton's elementary schools have new leadership

New principals are taking the reins at Carlynton School District’s Carnegie and Crafton elementary schools.

Tyler Roberto, 41, of Emsworth was named principal of Crafton Elementary. She started Feb. 11.

“What brought me to Crafton was a desire to work closer to home and to return to elementary education,” Roberto said. “My entire career prior to last year — when I was moved to high school administration— was in elementary education, and I very much missed it.”

She grew up in Ellwood City and earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education at Geneva College. She later earned a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Indiana Wesleyan University and a doctorate in educational leadership and management from Capella University.

Roberto said she has 13 years of experience as a school principal, mostly at elementary schools. She spent four years in the New Kensington-Arnold School District as an elementary principal, and then was an assistant principal at Valley High School.

During her time in New Kensington, Roberto was the district’s New Teacher Induction and Title IX coordinator. She said she also oversaw cyber programming for secondary grades and was the student assistance program team lead at the high school.

Roberto also served as a K-5 and K-8 principal in the Pittsburgh area and worked as a consultant for the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit. She spent nearly 10 years in Cleveland, Ohio, working as an English teacher and K-8 principal before returning to Pittsburgh.

Julie Franczyk, 43, of South Strabane started at Carnegie Elementary on Dec. 18.

She began her career as a special education teacher and behavior specialist. For the past 15 years, she served as an administrator in various capacities including assistant principal and principal. Most recently, she was assistant superintendent in the Chartiers Valley School District.

Franczyk said she visited Carnegie Elementary years ago to learn about the Chill Project and the Free Store, and that visit “made a wonderfully positive impression that stayed with me.”

“When I saw the posting to both lead Carnegie Elementary and the K-12 ESL programming for Carlynton, I was excited by the opportunity to be part of the school I remembered visiting and to shape the learning experience for the community’s growing ESL population under the leadership of (Superintendent John Kreider) and (Assistant Superintendent Jeff Taylor.)”

Franczyk said her goal is to learn the culture and needs of students and staff. While doing so, she will also be reviewing the academic, social and emotional, and behavioral data sources.

“Currently, my priority for Carnegie is to complete (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support) training with the staff and work together to develop and implement a schoolwide PBIS plan,” she said.

“Next, I will be working on establishing data team meetings, a (multi-tiered system of supports) framework, and developing a master schedule for the ‘25-‘26 school year that is structured to support all learners to the best of our ability.”