Sam Intrieri

After 37 years of teaching Social Studies and coaching basketball, Mr. Sam Intrieri decided to retire last year. His years as a Kiski Area High School teacher were filled with many memorable experiences.

For the past six years, however, Sam has served as Supervisor of the Westmoreland County Community College (WCCC) Senior High Summer School Program. Students primarily from Apollo-Ridge, Burrell, Kiski Area, New Kensington/Arnold, Franklin Regional, Highlands, Leechburg, and even Fox Chapel attend the classes held at the Northern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center in New Kensington.

Quite a variety of courses, such as Algebra I and II, Geometry, Biology, English, History, Science, and Physical Education are offered. The school provides both morning and afternoon classes with a four-week duration, from July to August each summer.

As supervisor, Sam acts as principal of the New Kensington campus, WCCC’s largest summer program in all of Westmoreland County with as many as 480 students. His primary duties include managing student attendance and the day to day operations of the school. Assisted by Jason Lohr, also of Kiski Area, Sam must notify parents of any absences, because only two excused absences are permitted.

Sam explains, “When I call parents, most of them are unaware that their children did not make it to school. I check up on students, because if they miss three days, they must be dismissed from the program.” Signing a contract of guidelines on the first day, students are aware of this and other policies. If there are any behavioral problems, students are immediately dismissed from the school and forfeit the tuition paid. Sam notes that this policy eliminates most misbehavior.

The summer school program is valuable to area students for several reasons. First, many students must gain the credits in order to attend the Vo–Tech program in the fall or to become eligible for athletics. If a student did not pass the previous nine weeks grading period, he or she is ineligible for any fall sports. Second, some students are seniors who must pass a class to receive their diplomas. A third benefit of the program is the small class size, which affords greater one on one attention for students. Sam adds that “This year, by offering Physical Education, several honor students are taking P.E. to open a space for an advanced math or science course in the fall.”

A graduate of Kiski Area High School, Sam received his Bachelor of Science at Clarion University and began teaching at Allegheny Junior High School. He then moved to the high school and began teaching U. S. History and other Social Studies courses. From 1981 until 1991, Sam held the position of Head Coach of the Varsity Basketball team, and in 1986 took the team to the state championship in Hershey, PA. The team lost by only two points and went home proudly with the rank of second in the state. Currently Sam is the Assistant Girls Varsity Basketball Coach.

Sam and his wife of 32 years, Debbie, live in Vandergrift. They have three children, Ursula Rosenberry, who is expecting a little girl in December, Kristin, a teacher at Leechburg Area High School, and Joe, a sophomore at Clarion University, studying to become a teacher as well. Sam and Debbie enjoy walking two to three miles a day. In addition, Sam is a member of the Sons of Italy.

Not only does Sam stay active in education through summer school, but also by coaching basketball. Over the last 37 years he has offered a great deal of time as a coach for the Kiski Area Basketball summer league. Working as the supervisor of the WCCC Summer School affords him the opportunity to interact with students and teachers. He says with a smile, “I always felt that working with the kids made me stay younger.”

Watch the video interview with Sam Intrieri right here at http://www.allekiskitoday.com/webcasts/1457