This week’s featured Q&A is with Dr. Tim Wagner, principal of Upper St. Clair High School.
What is something positive that you want others to know about your school?
Dr. Wagner: Upper St. Clair High School has three arched entrances — one for academics, one for the arts, and one for athletics. We believe that these three areas interact and rely on one another in important ways. Our school community also believes that students should be supported in all aspects of their academic, artistic, and athletic lives. When young people find engaging and meaningful ways to be involved in school, healthy development ensues.
What do you love about being a principal?
Dr. Wagner: As a principal, I have the unique opportunity to interact with individual students on a daily basis, but also to consider programs and systems that influence nearly 1,400 students and staff members. From celebrating individual accomplishments to considering new courses and programs that elevate our entire organization, I am proud to spend my professional life with the students, families, and staff at Upper St. Clair High School.
In your opinion, what is the future of education?
Dr. Wagner: Public education has long been a mechanism for sustaining our democracy. The critical skills and knowledge that students acquire through a positive school experience will always be invaluable. While the ways that teachers deliver content or assess growth & mastery may change over time, particularly as a result of technological advancements, the fundamental need for cognitive development to happen through guided inquiry and social interaction must always characterize our schools — and I believe in the future it will. I’m excited to see how our schools will continue to serve as a foundational support for our country.