June 11, 2018
So, you might be wondering, who even is the Superintendent? (I mean we have had like 3 this year already) Well, I went to find out about Who Dr. Foley is and what he’s going to do for our school. Please Enjoy!
First things first, Why Knoch?
I knew a while back that there were Superintendent openings at South Butler with a lot of turnover among superintendents. I noticed that Assistant Superintendent’s kept getting promoted. I have been interested in working at Knoch for quite some time. The main reason that I wanted to come to the South Butler County School District is that it is big enough to have great programs for students and small enough to get to know everyone. Sometimes getting to know students and staff is difficult in a larger school district. The South Butler County School District is the perfect size. I really like it here. The facilities are great and there is a lot of support from a variety of groups throughout the District.
What did you do before working at Knoch? Where?
I started my teaching career as a middle school Social Studies teacher at Seneca Valley. I then became an elementary school Principal in the Grove City Area School District. I was then hired as the Assistant Superintendent within the Pine-Richland School District. After Pine-Richland, I served as the Superintendent of the West Middlesex Area School District for the past four years.
Where did you attend high school/college? What activities did you do there?
I graduated from Seneca Valley high school in 1987. I was involved in sports and played football and I was on the track team. I then went on to Westminster College. I played football at Westminster. I earned my principal
certificate from Slippery Rock University, my Masters from Gannon and my doctorate in administration from the University of Pittsburgh.
What are you going to try to change now that you are in charge here? What do you want to make better?
I am always looking to make our academic programs stronger. I like the idea of using technology to support improved instruction in the classroom. I am very interested in using virtual reality to assist with learning and teaching throughout the school district. I believe that using technology for learning appeals to students who are using technology outside of the school district. I also believe that the facilities may need an update. I think that I would be in a better position to discuss change after I have been here for a while- maybe this time next year.
Do you have a favorite place you have worked? Where and Why?
All school districts have challenges and I have really liked each opportunity that I have had. I have learned a great deal in each school district in which I have worked. I know that I have only been here a few months, and I see the big challenges that exist here. I am excited about the opportunities to address these challenges. For me, work is interesting when you are given an opportunity to address things that matter to a lot of people.
What drew you to be a superintendent?
I am very interested in both leadership and education. Being a superintendent puts you in a position where you can positively influence a lot of people. I love my job and there is no other job in the world that would I choose over being a Superintendent.
What is your favorite thing about your job? Least Favorite?
My favorite part of my job is the opportunity to create meaningful learning opportunities for students. I am very interested in solid instruction and finding ways to address the unique learning needs of each student at South Butler. My least favorite part of my job is constantly being obsessed with the weather app and working through snow days. I am very concerned about snow delays, and there is always a concern about safety. I hate getting up in the middle of the night because of the weather challenges that we have here in Pennsylvania.
What do you plan to do with the Student Leadership Committee?
The idea of the Student Leadership Committee is to support students with leadership skills and to hear the voices of our students. A good school has strong student leaders who voice opinions about possible improvements throughout the District. We will discuss things that we are doing well throughout the district and things that we can improve. What opportunities do we have here in the South Butler County School District, and what is holding us back from being the most successful that we can be? It is good to have student input and will certainly make South Butler a great place to learn and work.
Are you comfortable sharing any details about your personal life? For example, are you married? Do you have any kids?
My wife Amy is the Director of the Grove City Area United Way. I have son named Ethan who is a sophomore at the University of Vermont. My middle daughter, Abby, is in 11th grade and my youngest daughter, Hannah, is in ninth grade. My daughters are students at Grove City High School.
Fast Facts:
