How long have you been working for NA?

I knew you were going to ask me that. Well, let’s see. I started at North Allegheny in 1987 at Espe Elementary School, but I worked as a learning support teacher for the Allegheny Intermediate Unit. NA did not run their own special education programs at the time, so I came to NASH in 1991 as the master teacher. I became the learning support teacher for the high school, a newly created position, after the district decided to take over the special education programs from the Allegheny Intermediate Unit. I’ve been in the GOAL department since 2007.

What has been your favorite memory with the GOAL teachers?

Laughing, so many times while we were out on events, or even just between or among us!

What do you think North Allegheny students lack?

I have a favorite saying, “You don’t know what you don’t know,” and I think our kids, through no fault of their own, don’t realize how fortunate and privileged they really are, with where they live, where they go to school, who their parents are, and the opportunities they have that they just take for granted on a daily basis. Until they get older and get out in the world a little bit, they don’t realize that not everyone lives like this.

What has been your best experience with students through GOAL?

Getting to know kids on a more personal level — more than a teacher-student level. In GOAL, they’re choosing to do these activities, so they’re enthusiastic, and it gives you an opportunity to explore experiences and see things through their eyes and the sense of wonder that comes with those activities.

What has been the best MUN conference year after year?

This is a really corny answer, but my favorite conferences to watch are the ones where the kids do well for the first time. That could be any one of them at any time. Different kids “get it” at different times. I love to watch them grow and get excited and speak in a group or argue a point or work the room and go around and talk to others when I know they weren’t sure of what they were doing [before]. Every conference is amazing for me, because there are so many kids that discover something new or figure out how to work the room.

What’s up with the whole eating at new places whenever we go downtown?

Well, back to the first question, kids don’t know what they don’t know. I think it’s important for you to know your city and to know the context of where you live on a larger scale. Food is a great way to get to know kids. It’s socially probably the best way to get to know them and expose them to different cultures.

What has been your favorite fashion phase that you’ve witnessed throughout your years at NASH, and what was the worst?

Oh, wow! That’s a tough one! I think the last few years have just helped people dress up. We’re out of the grunge and low pants phase, the hoodie phase, and I think its great to see kids take pride in how they dress because its a reflection of how they feel about themselves. I think that in the past few years people just dress up more! I really didn’t like the punk rock phase. Hot Topic. Yeah, that one I wasn’t a big fan of.

What do you wish kids at NA would stop stressing about?

If they’re good enough academically and if they’re competitive enough. The whole mentality of being number one in everything that they do. You know, there’s always someone smarter, richer, and skinnier than you.

What’s your favorite pastime?

It’s a tie between spending time with my grandkids and traveling.

If there’s any tea to spill between the staff of NASH, how fast does it spread and which department starts the drama and which one knows first?

Well, I have to honestly say I have no idea anymore. We’re very departmentalized these days, and if there was any juicy gossip in the math or science department, I wouldn’t even know about it because I’m on the second floor and they’re on the third.

What will you miss the most when you retire?

Talking and laughing with the kids and my good friends on the staff.

What are your plans? Do you plan to travel?

I plan to sleep in right away, and I also want to look at what my options and opportunities are. When opportunities come, I want to be able to say yes without checking my calendar first.

What do you think was the biggest technological advance that happened during your years at NA?

This might be a strange answer, but email. One of the things that hurt us the most is the invention of email, because when I started here, you had to physically talk to people about a student, event, or ideas. We’ve lost that face-to-face quality. Although email is the best and most efficient, I see it as a detriment to relationship building.

Which teacher do you think is the most fun to have in GIEP meetings?

I am not going to answer that question and get myself in trouble. But those who don’t get nervous about it and are themselves are the most fun. The staff is really professional and cares about the kids.

What do you think is the coolest thing to happen at a MUN conference?

Before the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton spoke outside the student union at Pitt (where we had a conference) the day before the election, and she was speaking when we were on break. I was able to convince security to let us get students in the front to see her.

What drew you to run MUN or any of the clubs you sponsor?

I’ve always been interested in the social sciences and social justice issues. I’ve worked on political campaigns since I was really young.

You said you have been on political campaigns. Which was the most memorable one/which one taught you the most?

The local state legislator campaigns taught me the most, but the coolest one that I’ve been a part of was Bill Clinton’s first campaign.