Before becoming the Assistant Principal of North Allegheny Senior High, did you have any other jobs in the educational field?

Yes, I did. I was the Assistant Principal at Green Valley Primary in the East Allegheny School District. They combined with Logan Elementary, also located in the East Allegheny School District, and I was Assistant Principal there as well. I was a math teacher for the East Allegheny School District from 2004-2012. I was also a math teacher in the Greensburg-Salem District from 2001-2004.

What grades did you teach when you were teaching math?

My first year I taught at the high school level as well as eighth grade. After that year, I was permanently an eighth grade teacher. I taught classes from Algebra 1 to Geometry. When I was teaching high school, I had Algebra 2 and some off-subject courses.

How is being in an administrative position different from teaching in a classroom setting?

In the classroom setting, you get to know all of the students in one grade level.  When you move into the administrative role, you are dealing with a lot of other things. I wore many hats at my former school. In addition to being an Assistant Principal, I oversaw the Pre-K through 3rd grade. I was also in charge of our Athletic Director and wrote grants for the district. I did a lot of things that were outside of the realm of being in the classroom. It is definitely a lot different, because teaching is a uniquely rewarding career. Administrative work is, too, but in different ways. Now, our focus is on the teachers and the students as opposed to just the students.

Will you miss connecting to kids on a personal level?

I hope that since I am in the 11th and 12th grade system I will have more of a connection with students than what I had at the elementary level. I was in the elementary classrooms a lot and had a lot of interaction with the kids, but I think 11th and 12th grade is a great place to be. Juniors and seniors are starting to think about their careers, what they want to do, where they want to go to college. It is a very exciting time. I taught CCD for a couple years at my church just to get back into the classroom, but I do not know if I will miss it. I love what I do now, and I am excited to be here.

For those who do not know what falls under your job description, what exactly does an Assistant Principal do?

I am still learning my role here at the Senior High. I do know that one of the largest things I will be focusing on will be teacher observation. I will be going into the classrooms. I will focus on students and the unfortunate part of discipline. I am the A-K principal so I will be handling student discipline and monitoring student attendance. I am also in charge of Keystone Exams for 11th and 12th grade. I will go through the data on our students to determine who needs to take the practicum courses and who meet the graduation requirements to share with our school counselors. Though I am still figuring out my role here, I am excited for this year and ready for whatever lies ahead.

You mentioned handling student discipline.  Did you have anything to do with the new Saturday morning detention policy?

I was not here last year, so I was not as big of a driving force behind it as the other administrators. It was a team decision, and I know it was carefully considered.  We believe it will help to encourage responsibility and maturity.

Do you plan to make any changes besides Saturday morning detentions at NASH?

I have always been told that when you go into a new position you go in and see how everything is done before you make changes. You give it a year before you try to implement change. I think that is true, and this year is a learning year for me to get acclimated to the building and how things are done at NASH. After that, if I think if there are any changes that need to be made I would start by discussing them with my administrative team.

Is there one specific area you plan to focus on this year?

Mainly, I want to become part of the community and the North Allegheny family. I think it is important for me to be visible to students and family members at different events. I am new here, so everyone is going to be wondering who I am, and I will be wondering just as much who they are.

What have been your first impressions of North Allegheny?

My first impression is that NA is a great place to be. Everyone I meet tells me, “You are going to love it here. This is a great place to work.” Parents and faculty members tell me this all the time, so I know this is going to be an amazing place to work.

Hearing that this is such a great place to work, what do you imagine will be the most rewarding part of your job here will be?

The students. I think the relationships formed with kids and seeing the decisions they make from our relationships will be rewarding. We only have two years to get to know one another, so the conversations we have with will be especially rewarding.

Do you expect that working with older students for only two years will be different from working with younger student for multiple years?

Yes, it was a big change when I went from teaching middle school to leading an elementary school. I had to learn how to interact with the younger kids in a school setting.  I do not expect it to be as difficult as that transition, but I expect this transition to present its own challenges. I am certainly looking forward to it, though.

From what you have seen so far, what sets North Allegheny apart from the other schools you have taught at?

The biggest thing is the sense of community and school spirit here. It truly seems like everybody in the district is a Tigers fan. It seems like everyone works together, and you do not see that everywhere. There is so much collaboration between the students and the teachers, and that is something I am especially excited to be a part of.