Two educators well known in the Penn Hills School District will join the Pittsburgh Public Schools.

The city school board last night hired Patricia A. Gennari as the district's executive director of support services and Dennis J. Chakey as principal of Pittsburgh Oliver High School on the North Side.

Dr. Gennari unexpectedly resigned as Penn Hills superintendent in June, just as that district's board furloughed three dozen teachers and two principals. The board later voted to recall some of the teachers.

In Pittsburgh, her starting salary will be about $113,400. The executive director of support services traditionally has overseen special education and discipline, among other services. Dr. Gennari replaces J. Kaye Cupples, who retired this summer.

Mr. Chakey has been principal of Penn Hills' Linton Middle School since 2007. He also has worked as a teacher and acting assistant principal at Pittsburgh's Knoxville Middle School, which is now closed.

His starting salary at Oliver will be about $105,000. He replaces T. William Weems, who was demoted in June.

The board also named Barbara Soroczak acting principal of Pittsburgh Liberty K-5 in Shadyside. She had been assistant principal of Pittsburgh Stevens K-8 in the West End.