The Woodland Hills School District would like to warmly welcome Ms. Angela Evans as the new assistant principal at Edgewood Elementary STEAM Academy.
A Pittsburgh native, Ms. Evans is a graduate of Schenley High School and Duquesne University. She earned her master’s degree and principal certification from Point Park University. Before joining Woodland Hills, she spent 15 years in the Shaler Area School District, where she began her career as a music teacher before moving into school leadership.
Ms. Evans brings a strong background in PBIS, student support, equity, inclusion, belonging, and multi-tiered systems of support. Most importantly, she brings a genuine love for elementary students and a passion for creating school communities where every child feels seen, known, heard, and supported.
We recently sat down with Ms. Evans to learn more about her background, her educational philosophy, and what she is most excited about as she begins this new chapter at Edgewood.
You spent 15 years in the Shaler Area School District. Tell us about your journey in education.
I began my career in Shaler Area as a music teacher at Marzolf Primary School, teaching students in kindergarten through third grade.
As I became more involved in our PBIS program and other district initiatives, particularly those focused on equity, inclusion, and belonging, I discovered that I really enjoyed the administrative side of education. That experience encouraged me to pursue my master’s degree and principal certification.
I went on to become the Dean of Students at Shaler Area Elementary School and also had the opportunity to lead our district-wide PBIS team.
When the opportunity at Woodland Hills came along, it felt like a natural next step. There aren't as many assistant principal positions in the elementary setting, and I really love working with K–5 students. I submitted my materials, and here I am!
What is it about the elementary setting that you enjoy so much?
There are so many things I love about the elementary setting, but one of the biggest is that kids are just sponges. To be their first introduction to something—whether it’s school in general, music in my particular case, or learning to read—is incredibly rewarding.
Watching a child begin to learn to read is just amazing. I think the wonder never ceases in elementary school. I love the energy of K–5 students, and I think the elementary setting is a really good fit for me personally.
You mentioned your involvement with PBIS. What does a strong PBIS program look like to you?
What I love about PBIS is that I believe behavior is a form of communication. Just as it is our job to teach routines, reading, addition, and all of the other things we want students to learn, it is also our job to explicitly teach students about behavior and expectations.
That is one of the great strengths of PBIS. A strong PBIS team has clear structures in place, lessons ready to go, and intentional ways to teach students about behavior. It also provides consistent opportunities for positive reinforcement.
And when students aren't quite meeting an expectation, PBIS gives us a framework to wrap around them, reteach, and provide the support they need to be successful. Ultimately, it is about giving every student the tools and support they need to succeed.
Will PBIS be part of your responsibilities at Edgewood?
Yes, I've already gotten started! I had my first meeting with the PBIS team, and we're off and rolling. I'm really excited to dig into the 5 Ps—Prompt, Prepared, Polite, Productive, and Proud—and become part of the PBIS experience here at Edgewood.
Are there ideas or practices from Shaler that you hope to bring with you?
I definitely have a lot of ideas about incentives, and I really like the systematization aspect of PBIS. I'm still learning about how things work here at Edgewood, but in my previous position we developed systems using Google Forms and other tools to track behavior and be purposeful about using behavior data in the same way that we're purposeful about using academic data.
We were also working to build a cohesive MTSS program that equally focused on PBIS and academics. That's an experience I'm bringing with me, and if it is something that's needed here, I'm really happy to dig into that and help support the work.
At the same time, I think it is important to come into a new school ready to listen and learn. Edgewood already has a strong foundation, and I'm excited to learn from the people who know this community best.
Tell us about another experience that has been especially meaningful to you.
Something I'm really proud of is the 143 Day of Kindness initiative in Shaler Area. I was one of the people behind that initiative for the last five years and served as the lead planner.
I think that experience says a lot about me because I like to bring people together, especially around messages of kindness, acceptance, and belonging. I believe that when you are seen, heard, known, and accepted, you can truly access the educational space.
That is something I felt during my interview at Edgewood. It was clear to me that this school is all about the kids—taking great care of them and creating a space where they can experience those things.
The staff has made me feel that way since I arrived. I've watched them interact with students, and I've felt really proud and excited to be part of this community.
What excites you most about becoming part of the Woodland Hills and Edgewood families?
I'm excited to join a great team—a really strong team. I've connected really well with Ms. Mann, and I'm excited about this opportunity.
I'm looking forward to learning from the Edgewood staff, getting to know our students and families, and becoming part of the Woodland Hills community. Most of all, I'm excited to be here, to support our students and teachers, and to help contribute to Edgewood's mission to the safety, security and academic growth of all students.
