Mr. George Staudenmaier, Assistant Superintendent of Burrell School District

Every baseball team needs a powerhouse homerun hitter, and a football team must possess that star receiver who makes extraordinary plays. The strength Craig Wilson and Hines Ward bring to their teams, Mr. George Staudenmaier delivers to the Burrell School District. With over twenty years of teaching and five years in principal positions, he exercises leadership with experience and passion as the assistant Superintendent. As a resident of the district, his personal commitment beams brightly in the hours of dedication he invests. Yet Mr. Staudenmaier’s words praise the students, faculty, community, and parents of Burrell for making it the great place that it is.

One of the most unique qualities about Burrell, explains Mr. Staudenmaier is the family-centered focus. The small size affords administrators the opportunity to get to know each student and his or her family. Mr. Staudenmaier relates, “We are very family- centered and community oriented. Our size is advantageous. As the middle school principal, I knew almost every student by name.” In order to keep that focus, parents, students, and community volunteers are part of the steering committee currently meeting to draft the new strategic plan for the district. Together they will make sure that the district maintains its close-knit atmosphere as they strive to meet new goals. Mr. Staudenmaier exuberantly shares several of the accomplishments of the students and faculty. They have received the third Keystone Award for reaching the average yearly progress goal set by the state for students showing proficiency in math and reading. Since 2002, every school in the district has received this prestigious award. In addition, the Special Education Inclusion Program has excelled beyond expectation. In grades sixth through twelfth, all students in this program are mainstreamed into regular classes and supported by the cooperation of both regular and special education teachers.

Choosing to study his major in Germany for a year, Mr. Staudenmaier gained an extensive scope of the German language and people. He then served in the military in Germany and acquired an even deeper understanding of the culture. Next, as a soldier in the 101st Airborne Division he served in Viet Nam, and earned a Combat Infantry Badge. In addition, for his military service in Viet Nam, he was awarded a Bronze Star.

Upon returning to Pennsylvania, Mr. Staudenmaier began teaching German in the Penn Hills School District. His diverse background and years spent in Germany provided him with many ways to enrich his language classes. For three years he received the Duden Award for superior German instruction by the Western Pennsylvania Association of Teachers. Thirteen years ago, Mr. Staudenmaier left the Penn Hills District to become the Assistant Principal at Burrell High School. After that he served as Principal of Huston Middle School, and for the past eight years, as Assistant Superintendent.

When not attending a school activity, Mr. Staudenmaier enjoys spending time with his wife, Sandy, of 33 years and stays busy volunteering in community service. “I am married to the most understanding and patient woman there is,” he says with a smile. Her patience is certainly evident. On top of his duties as an assistant superintendent, he offers his time in several local organizations. He serves on the Salvation Army Advisory Board for New Kensington and leads as the Executive Director of Burrell Education Foundation. In the past, he has been on the board for the Strongland Chamber of Commerce, the United Way of Westmoreland County, and Alle-Kiski Valley Leadership Board.

The highlight of Mr. Staudenmaier’s day is being able to interact with the students. He relates how proud he is of the caliber of their character. Noting their kindness to each other, he states, “Students at our high school still decorate each other’s lockers with balloons to celebrate their birthdays. The best part is that other students leave the decorations alone, and it stays up all day.” For the full story and to meet Mr. Staudenmaier in person watch the video interview at http://www.allekiskitoday.com/webcasts/1713