After working at two different school districts last year, Assistant Principal Rachel Sprouse believes she has found her spot here at Baldwin.
Sprouse started the 2015-2016 school year at McKeesport High School as a substitute teacher in biology. She later moved to Steel Valley School District in October, where she worked as a substitute administrator until end of the school year.
“My family and I were moving back to Pittsburgh, so I took these jobs to start,” Sprouse said.
Sprouse was born in Pittsburgh and grew up in the Arlington neighborhood. Her family had been looking forward to coming back to the Pittsburgh area for many years.
Prior to moving back to Pittsburgh, Sprouse was an assistant principal at a seventh- through twelfth-grade Catholic school in central Pennsylvania. She also worked in Maine and at State College.
This past summer, she was hired as a new assistant principal at Baldwin. She has enjoyed her time at Baldwin so far.
“Everything is perfect. The kids and the staff are great,” Sprouse said. “I love Baldwin.”
Her main goal as an assistant principal is to see every senior student graduate.
“Just seeing the kids that have been in your office day after day walking across the stage,” Sprouse said. “Those are the most exciting moments.”
When she was a student, Sprouse’s high school teachers played a key role in her career choice. Specifically, Sprouse wanted to go into education because of her high school biology teacher.
“I didn’t understand biology at the time, but she made it so much fun,” Sprouse said.
When she went into college she first majored in biology, but she didn’t think that she would fit into that field after college. As an alternative she went into education and became a biology teacher. It ended up being the best decision of her life, Sprouse said.
She entered the education field and went back and forth between being a biology teacher and an administrator.
Sprouse’s entrance into Baldwin comes at a time of change in administration. Assistant Principals Mike Wetmiller and Heather Hibner left, but because of budget issues, the district could only hire one replacement.
“It has been a big change going from four to three principals, but everyone has stepped up,” Principal Dr. Walter Graves said.
Assistant Principal John Saras has helped Sprouse adapt to this new school.
“I had to take the mentor role for showing her around,” Saras said. “She is doing a terrific job.”