Each year, The Grable Foundation, the Allegheny Intermediate Unit and the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation join together to honor outstanding MVPs: Most Valuable Principals. These educators, working throughout Allegheny County, are celebrated for their innovative approaches and their hard work on behalf of the kids in their communities.
Earlier this month, the 15 principals on this year’s roster of MVPs were honored at a Pens game. They each received a Pens prize pack and customized jersey, and were given a $1,000 donation to their school for a project of their choosing.
Meet the 2026 honorees:
Dr. Samantha Abate, Deer Lakes School District
Amanda Beckett, Chartiers Valley School District
Dr. Bonnie Betler, Brentwood Borough School District
Dr. Brett Bielewicz, Mt. Lebanon School District
David Campos, Allegheny Intermediate Unit
Dr. Keera Dwulit, Avonworth School District
Paula Giran, Pine-Richland School District
Dr. Jennifer Hoffner, Gateway School District
Dr. Julie Moore, Moon Area School District
John Saras, Baldwin-Whitehall School District
Kevin Sheridan, North Hills School District
Clay Stone, Steel Valley School District
Dr. David Turk, Riverview School District
Jodi VanderSchaaff, Deer Lakes School District
You can find Q&A interviews with each of these educators right here. In these interviews, they share information about their work as principals, the interesting things happening at their districts and their thoughts on the future of learning.
Kidsburgh congratulates this year’s MVPs and thanks all of the hardworking educators throughout Pittsburgh’s remarkable learning ecosystem for making our region a great place to be a kid.