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Pictured is Patrick Scott, 2012 K-12 principal certificate alumnus and assistant principal at Woodland Hills High School. | Photo by Jim Judkis

Meet Patrick Scott

Job title: Assistant High School Principal
Employer: Woodland Hills High School
Education: K-12 Principal Certification, 2012, Point Park University; M.S. in Business Education, 2008, and B.S.B.A. in Business Management, 2005, Robert Morris University
Hometown: Vandergrift, Pa.
High school: Kiski Area High School
Now living in: Pittsburgh, Pa. (North Side)
Hobbies/interests: Fishing, hunting, sports and spending time with family and friends
LinkedIn: Patrick Scott

Why did decide to pursue a K-12 principal certification?

I started out my career at Mars Area High School in a Classrooms for the Future Coach position. I worked a lot with administration so it was a smooth transition for me to become an administrator. My former principals at Mars Area were a big influence on me and encouraged me to pursue my K-12 principal certification.

Why did you choose Point Park?

The main reason I chose Point Park was because that is where my assistant high school principal at Mars Area High School attended. I also liked that the University was located in the city and close to where I lived. Additionally, it was appealing to me that the education faculty at Point Park were made up of current educators in all aspects of the public education system in Pennsylvania.

How did you become assistant principal of Woodland Hills High School?

The position opened late in the summer of 2014 and even though I really liked my current teaching position at Mars Area I knew that I needed to take this opportunity to further my career. I applied for the position and interviewed after the school year had already started. I was hired in September 2014. I knew that I would gain great experience at Woodland Hills because it is a large, diverse school district. I really felt comfortable working for the head principal at the high school as well as the rest of the administration team. After meeting the administrators at the high school, I knew that I would fit in well and learn a lot from them.

As an administrator, how do you incorporate into your job what you learned in your grad classes?

I had a great foundation set for me from my experience at Point Park. The faculty at Point Park gave really good advice and expertise on what I should expect as a school administrator. They also shared their experiences as administrators to help us with the interview process and to let us know what current administrators are looking for when hiring a principal.

Final thoughts?

This job is something that you have to learn as you go and be willing to listen to the people with many years of experience. Going from being a classroom teacher to an administrator was tough at first because of all the decision making. However, there is so much to learn and so much that needs done on a day-to-day basis that it can sometimes be overwhelming. I try to ask questions and learn from my head principal so that I am prepared for anything that comes my way.

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