This week’s featured Q&A is with Dr. Deidra Stepko, principal of Chartiers Valley Primary School in the Chartiers Valley School District.
What is something positive that you want others to know about your school?
Dr. Stepko: Our school community is the best! All of the adults care deeply for our students and are committed to ensuring each child reaches their full potential. Our building focus is on equity and excellence. As a primary school, we are not only the foundation for the basics of academics, but also for instilling a love of school and lifelong learning.
What do you love about being a principal?
Dr. Stepko: As someone who absolutely loved being a teacher, it was a very difficult decision for me to leave the classroom. However, it didn’t take long for me to fall in love with being a principal. As a principal, I still get to work directly with students, so I can affect their academic success and their futures. I also get to work closely with teachers and the families of students to help build and strengthen the partnerships that positively impact student success. Greeting students every morning is the absolute best part of my day. I love making sure that each child feels welcomed and excited to embark on their learning journey!
In your opinion, what is the future of education?
Dr. Stepko: I believe that the future of education is going to rely on relationships. As learning shifts to be more personalized and competency-based, and teachers shift their roles from being sources of information to facilitators of learning, understanding each other as individuals and building interpersonal relationships will become increasingly important.
