DR. WAYNE WALTERS, new Pittsburgh Public Schools permanent superintendent, with Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, at an event announcing Dr. Walters as the person charged with leading the district, July 21. (Photo by Courier photographer J.L. Martello)
‘WE GOT IT RIGHT.’ – Mayor Ed Gainey on Dr. Wayne Walters
There almost had to be a national search for Pittsburgh Public Schools’ next superintendent. After all, it’s the second-largest school district in Pennsylvania, and Pittsburgh itself is an education hub, with a number of acclaimed colleges and universities in the region. There is a wealth of foundation support for education, and there are advocacy organizations that keep the district on its toes in the fight for a better public school system.
But if you ask members of the Pittsburgh school board, parents, students and PPS staff, the next permanent superintendent was already in Pittsburgh, already in the district.
And when Dr. Wayne N. Walters was announced officially on July 21 as the district’s permanent superintendent, Dr. Walters received a standing ovation.
“We got it right,” Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey proclaimed at the Board of Education building, in Oakland, with about 100 people in attendance. “We got it right, and here’s why…If you talk to a lot of the parents whose kids came up under Dr. Walters, they will tell you how many are now in college, who have made it, who see purpose in education, who find joy in life. That’s the leader we want. That’s the leader we needed.”
Dr. Walters was named the interim superintendent on Oct. 1, 2021, following the resignation of Anthony Hamlet, Ed.D., who spent five years as PPS superintendent. Dr. Hamlet was chosen in a national search, coming from the Palm Beach County School District, in Florida. In March of this year, a national search was led by BWP & Associates, and over the next four months, ultimately found 30 candidates — one of which was from outside the country. Eventually, the top five candidates emerged, which included Dr. Walters, and the New Pittsburgh Courier learned that they each were interviewed by the nine-member board, using criteria from 1,700 Pittsburgh residents who weighed in on the qualities they wanted to see in the next permanent superintendent.
Dr. Walters, who has been with PPS for 30 years, proved to be the best choice among all candidates.
PITTSBURGH SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS SALA UDIN, LEFT, AND SYLVIA WILSON WERE VERY IMPRESSED BY DR. WAYNE WALTERS. (PHOTO BY J.L. MARTELLO)
“I have had people talking to me since October when he was first nominated as interim (superintendent) and gave me all kinds of reasons about why it should be Dr. Walters,” voiced board member Sylvia Wilson. “Of course I personally know what Dr. Walters has done because my granddaughter went to (Pittsburgh) Obama as a middle school student (when Dr. Walters was principal of Obama Academy), and I know what he did as the administrator in that building. But also, as a fellow colleague when I was teaching, I knew exactly what was going on. His commitment to students, to the community, to parents, his relationships outside the schools, were certainly high marks. But we did go through the process. We had others who we interviewed. It was kind of like a no-brainer once we went through the whole process.”
Growing up in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, Dr. Walters came to Pittsburgh when he was 16 to attend Carnegie Mellon University, where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in music performance/music education in 1990.
At age 21, he began working with Pittsburgh Public Schools in a teaching capacity at Pittsburgh King, on the North Side. Dr. Walters later became assistant principal of Northview Heights Elementary (1999-2000) and principal of Frick International Studies Academy 6-8 (2000-2008). Dr. Walters then helped usher in the new Obama Academy in 2009, serving as its first principal. He added Assistant Superintendent of Grades 6-12 Schools in 2014 while still performing his duties as principal of Obama. In 2017, Dr. Walters relinquished his duties as principal and became Assistant Superintendent of Professional Development and Special Programming for PPS, leading the implementation of professional development plans for teachers, administrators and central office staff.
THE NEW PERMANENT SUPERINTENDENT—DR. WAYNE WALTERS (PHOTO BY J.L. MARTELLO)
Dr. Walters earned a master’s degree in Music Education/Technology from Duquesne University (1998), and a Doctor of Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (2007).
“The reason why there’s so much outpouring of support for Dr. Walters is because he has demonstrated over that 30 years high standards in education, and unparalleled integrity,” said Board President Sala Udin. “That’s what people know him for and love him for.”
Udin was asked if there was a singular moment when he realized that Dr. Walters would be the best choice as permanent superintendent. “For me personally, there was no single moment,” Udin responded. “Dr. Walters’ excellence was apparent from the very beginning and it stayed through the very end.”
Dr. Walters’ 10-minute speech included many thanks to his mentors in the school district, parents, community partners and especially, the PPS students, “as you bring me the greatest joy in this profession. Your growth, your development and intellect motivate and inspire me to do more for you,” he said. “Throughout my career I have always been described as unapologetically students first. I am proud of that characterization and continue to be that person. Students, your authentic, unfiltered voices of truth ground me and remind me that our work and purpose is solely about you and your success. I will continue to elevate your voice as barometers for change in our district.”
“Change” is what Dr. Walters will be tasked with creating as soon as the clock strikes midnight on Aug. 1, the official start date for Dr. Walters as permanent superintendent. There are a myriad of issues of which to tackle, including the gap between Black and White student achievement, truancy, reliable transportation, and the decreasing student enrollment.
“I love what I do, but I’m not confused that this work is demanding, challenging, but at the same time so rewarding,” Dr. Walters said. “So to the staff of the Pittsburgh Public Schools, I will always honor, value and respect your tenacity and dedication to our children and our families. We need to build back morale and improve communication, so know that I listen and hear your concerns.”
PITTSBURGH SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DEVON TALIAFERRO FELT THAT DR. WAYNE WALTERS WAS EASILY THE BEST CHOICE FOR PERMANENT PPS SUPERINTENDENT.
Ironically, in a city that’s losing Black population by the year, Pittsburgh now has a Black mayor and Black superintendent of schools. The city’s school district is 53 percent African American. Mayor Gainey, a product of Pittsburgh Public Schools as a 1988 Peabody High School graduate, said he understands the importance of having a good working relationship with the leader of 20,000 Pittsburgh city school students. “My commitment as mayor is to work with you every step of the way, and to call every leader in this region to help us build an education system that says, ‘We are the best in America,’” Mayor Gainey remarked.
“You can’t deny the impact he has made in the district over the past 30 years,” Board Member Devon Taliaferro said of Dr. Walters, in an exclusive interview with the Courier. “If you go anywhere with him or around him, he runs into former students, current students, students that can recite the sayings and things he taught them while he was principal or even a teacher in the district. So when you look at that, our job (as a board) is to put student outcomes first, and I think that Dr. Walters displays that student-first perspective.”
Mayor Gainey, seemingly the busiest person in the City of Pittsburgh these days, made it a point to attend the announcement of Dr. Walters as permanent superintendent on July 21. Looking straight at Dr. Walters, who was donning his trademark bow tie, the mayor reiterated: “I congratulate you, because nobody can say that this was given to you. Each one of our children can see the dedication and commitment. They will believe they can (achieve), and the example starts (with you) today.”
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