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During his 25 years as an educator in the West Mifflin School District, Dr. Brian Plichta held a number of titles. He was a social studies teacher, the federal programs coordinator, a comprehensive plan coordinator, led the district’s cyber academy, and served as a principal at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels.
As he settles in as the Steel Valley School District’s new assistant superintendent, that diverse background will help Dr. Plichta offer the proper guidance and support that students and staff need at every grade level.
“My experience has given me the ability to understand every step of the educational ladder,” Dr. Plichta said. “Each grade level, each department, each building has its own challenges and obstacles; however, it’s important to understand where we all are and how we can work together to improve.”
“I am deeply committed to Steel Valley’s mission of providing high-quality education and fostering a nurturing environment for all students,” he added. “I believe that every student deserves the opportunity to succeed, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure they have the resources and support needed to reach their full potential.”
There is one other role that Dr. Plichta held at West Mifflin that will also pay dividends when the new Steel Valley elementary school opens in the fall of 2026. As the middle school principal at West Mifflin, Dr. Plichta helped students, staff, and families navigate the transition to a new building in 2012. He’ll be able to help lead Steel Valley elementary students, staff, and families through a similar transition from Barrett and Park Elementaries.
“Building a new school will be an extremely demanding process; however, the benefits will certainly outweigh the challenges of the process,” he said. “Our students will have a state of the art facility, designed to meet students’ learning needs, and to provide our teachers with helpful resources so that we can provide an excellent educational foundation for our students.”
The transition to the new elementary school is just one of the tasks on Dr. Plichta’s to-do list. Along with supporting superintendent Mr. Bryan Macuga’s vision for education in various capacities, his immediate focus is overseeing Steel Valley’s curriculum and professional development. This includes setting up a curriculum review cycle for core subjects and electives.
“The curriculum review process is really a continuous and ongoing task that ensures we are not only meeting the state standards but also enriching students’ lives and meeting the demands of the 21st century. We want to inspire creativity, cultivate independent thinkers, and make sure every graduate is college and career ready,” he said. “Our team will review curriculum and analyze student achievement data, to ensure we are thorough with our decisions.”
Steel Valley has worked diligently to be able to provide its staff with consistent, comprehensive data to track student progress. Dr. Plichta said there are a number of barometers to monitor to make sure students are achieving success.
“Ultimately, we’ll use curriculum and data to ensure we are helping a child grow,” he said.
As important as the data is to the process, feedback from teachers and building administrators plays a crucial role, too.
“It's absolutely a team process,” he said.
Forging those connections to create honest and open feedback from staff will be an important part of the process for Dr. Plichta. He’s excited to connect with the faculty, staff, students, and families. Working in a neighboring district for over two decades lends a degree of familiarity.
“Being Steel Valley’s neighbor for all these years, we’ve heard good things the district was doing to help students,” he said. “Mr. Macuga and the administrative team at Steel Valley are committed to the success of the district and our students.”
