Superintendent Dr. Randal Lutz and the Baldwin-Whitehall Board of School Directors were honored by the Pennsylvania School Board Association last week for their innovative practices.
The association recognizes one superintendent, one teacher, a school board, and a board member for the innovation awards. District administrators and Carrie Butler, the district’s public relations consultant, had nominated Lutz and the school board for the statewide distinctions. Both won.
“Innovation is a mindset,” Lutz said. “If there’s a better way to do it, we can’t just fall back on the old adage that, ‘Oh, that’s the way it’s always been,” Lutz said.
Lutz prides himself on striving to run an innovative district, and he works closely with the school board.
“When we start talking about what’s best for kids, what’s best for kids doesn’t fall on party lines. And I think that’s what makes our school board wonderful.” Lutz said.
Still, Lutz strives to improve the school district further.
“We have 42 districts in Allegheny County. “We have so much to share with each other; we need to do more of that.” Lutz said.
As for what innovation will look like several years down the road, Lutz hopes for a sea of change.
“If you really love Newspaper class or journalism. … why can’t I have you doing an internship somewhere to see if you really like it?” Lutz said. “As we analyze how we use time, that’s probably the greatest thing. I want us to totally rethink what a master schedule means for kids.”
Later last week, Lutz visited Washington, D.C., to advocate for the district’s needs and goals. He met with staffers for U.S. Representative Summer Lee and Sen. Bob Casey.
“Really, you get a chance to sit down with Congress folks or senators,” Lutz said. “We really share what’s important to us, what our challenges and struggles are within public schools.”
Lutz is grateful that the District is in its present position.
“We’re very fortunate that Western Pennsylvania has a lot of support in Harrisburg and in Washington, D.C., and so I think sometimes it’s very important not to just be asking for the next thing but to say ‘thank you’ to them as well.”
