We are incredibly excited to introduce Ms. Emily Sanders as our new deputy superintendent, a role that’s becoming increasingly popular in larger school districts. Ms. Sanders describes her position as the middle ground of management between a superintendent and assistant superintendent who focuses on more broad aspects; she oversees K-12 and all the departments that are in a district.
Though she has only been in this role for a month, she is already adjusting to working with the other administrators. Dr. Holtzman, Dr. Connor, and Ms. Sanders collectively step in when they need to and share a lot of the work.
When she first came to Hempfield Area, Ms. Sanders had nothing but Dr. Holtzman’s words to rely on. His enthusiasm for the student body, excellent athletic teams, school spirit, and engaged students drove her expectations far. It’s safe to say that those expectations were met when she went to our first football game against North Hills, which she described as “absolutely crazy.” Sanders says that she wants “to be involved in student events to get a sense of what everyone is 
like.”
However, her focus lies more in the classroom. She is excited to find new, innovative ways to deliver classes for students to possibly help them in future careers. Sanders discusses sitting down with the principals to “look at classes, curriculum, and teaching style to be more future-focused and set students up for success.” There may be classes that students are interested in that Hempfield Area may not offer, and she wants to bring those to life.
Ms. Sanders’s passion for education stems from her mother, who was an elementary teacher for 35 years. Sanders began her career as an English teacher for grades 7-12 before moving along to administrative roles. Starting at Clarion University, she got her teaching degree before moving onto her Masters at the University of Pittsburgh. Along the way, she earned many certifications that allow her to be where she is today including principal, superintendent, and curriculum certifications.
Though she has transferred into a new field with administration, Ms. Sanders teaches as a professor at Waynesburg University. She usually teaches two online classes that range from curriculum design and instructional strategies where she focuses on teaching across content areas- which came in handy during Covid. On top of all of that, Sanders is also a Professional Development Director for a nonprofit organization that specializes in STEM education, Matt’s Maker Space.
From Newcastle and Beaver Area to small, urban districts like Monessen City, rural areas like West Middlesex Area, to larger districts like Baldwin-Whitehall and Peters Township, Ms. Sanders has immensely diverse experiences. As daunting as it is, Ms. Sanders sees Hempfield Area’s size and the broad range of students she is covering as an opportunity. Through such a vast background, she says that she has “brought something with [her] from every experience to hopefully make connections with all different kinds of people.”
In terms of teamwork, Ms. Sanders has expressed her enthusiasm about working with Dr. Holtzman again. They originally became acquainted at Pitt as they had classes together. Later on, the two had mutual colleagues who believed they could balance each other out and work well together. Thus, Dr. Holtzman hired Ms. Sanders at Beaver Area. She states, “I think we compliment each other well because we are strong in different areas. I learned a lot of things from him when we first worked together.” The familiarity will support her as she embarks on this new chapter of her life. “It is so much better to be able to come to work and know that I am going to laugh today and know that we can trust each other to pull our own weight.”
On a personal note, Ms. Sanders lives in Cranberry Township with her cat and three dogs, including Kimber, her certified therapy dog. She keeps busy with several side jobs that she is very passionate about. She says,“So far, things are going great. I’m excited to meet everyone and see what Hempfield is all about.”
With her deep experience, commitment, and perspective, Ms. Sanders is determined to make a lasting impact at Hempfield Area and the students who call it home.
