Dr. Brian W. Swartzlander Jr.

Kiski Area Upper Elementary School
Kiski Area School District
Apollo, Pennsylvania
[email protected]

Brian Swartzlander has served Kiski Area Upper Elementary School (KAUE) for five years, having previously served his rural school district as an intermediate assistant principal and district-wide technology supervisor. As an administrator, Swartzlander has built and sustained a collaborative, data-centered professional culture guided by the principle that all students can learn at high levels. At KAUE, Swartzlander takes on the role of “lead learner, system player, and agent of change,” encouraging teachers to leverage their own expertise and engage in rigorous daily processes of evaluation, reflection, and problem-solving to align teaching with short and long-term improvement goals. The school’s leadership team, dubbed the “guiding coalition,” joins Swartzlander as lead learners and co-strategists. The coalition is open to all staff, begins planning for the next school year in early spring, and meets emerging instructional needs by seeking out responsive tools and methodologies. The school has a strong MTSS program that emphasizes comprehensive behavioral, social, and emotional support to ensure that the school’s culture stays healthy, positive, and supportive of every student’s needs. Parent leadership is also integral at KAUES. When the school was designated as Title I two years ago, Swartzlander embraced the opportunity to build stronger involvement and incorporate parent perspectives in decision making. Swartzlander holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Washington and Jefferson College, an M.Ed. in Curriculum Design and Instruction from Gannon University, a Principal Certification from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and an Ed.D. in Education Administration and Leadership from Pennsylvania Western University.