May 16, 2011 was an important date for Seneca Valley Superintendent Dr. Donald J. Tylinski.

It was the 91st birthday of his mother, a former teacher who spent 50 years in the Armstrong School District. It also marked the day he announced his retirement from Seneca Valley.

“It’s a date I’ll always remember,” he said.

At Monday’s school board meting, Tylinski surprised district officials and residents by announcing his retirement. In a letter to the board that was read aloud by President Robert Hill, Tylinski said he planned to retire to care for his parents, whose health is declining.

His last day at the district will be Sept. 28. The superintendent said he chose that date because it was the anniversary of his start in education 35 years ago.

In his letter, Tylinksi said it was his honor and pleasure to serve the Seneca Valley School District. Hill responded by saying the district was honored by Tylinski’s leadership.

“I am deeply grateful for your service,” he said.

Tylinski received a round of applause from officials and residents. Once the meeting ended, many stayed to share a handshake or a hug with the superintendent.

A member of the WPIAL Board of Control and a former girls and boys varsity basketball coach, Tylinski came to the district in 1985. He was the principal of Connoquenessing Valley Elementary School until 1990, when he became the principal at Seneca Valley Junior High School.

In 1993, he left for the Freeport Area School District. He also served as the superintendent of the Mount Pleasant Area School District before returning to Seneca Valley in 2004 as superintendent.

Tylinski said he’d miss working with the district’s management and teachers. He called Seneca Valley a premier district that schools have tried to emulate, and he encouraged others to remember that.

“I’m so proud of the people here,” he said.

Linda Andreassi, director of communications, said that under Tylinksi's leadership the district jumped from 48 to 16 on the Pittsburgh Business Times annual ranking of Western Pennsylvania public schools. The rankings are based on how districts perform in Pennsylvania System of School Assessment exams.

“He inspires others, and we’ll miss that leadership,” she said. “He also has been a friend and a mentor for me personally.”