Middle School Principal Recognized by State for Outstanding Achievements

Dr. Stephen Subers never imagined himself in the role he is now as the principal for . With 30 years in the education field and two masters degrees in math education and computers and technology as well as a doctorate under his belt, Subers went from sharing a room with a fellow business education teacher (there weren't enough desks for him in the math department at the time) to overseeing the 's sixth- through eighth-grade students.

"What's funny is that I never thought I'd be a principal," said Subers. "I just never thought I'd be in this role."

Subers started off in Yeadon's school district at a junior-senior high school, which later split into two and stayed with the junior high school before moving to Marple Newtown in 1986 as a high school math teacher. Subers stayed in that role for another six years before making his way to his current location at the middle school.

"In 1992, I went to Paxon Hollow Middle School for my run there and I haven't left," said Subers, who has been the principal at the school for the past eight years.

Subers was recently recognized as this year's Outstanding Middle Level Administrator by the Pennsylvania Middle School Association (PMSA). The award is given annually to one deserving middle school administrator in the state.

According to the PMSA, the award was established in the 2004-2005 school year "to honor administrators who value, understand and support middle level education that promotes powerful learning for young adolescents."

Although middle school can be a tough age to handle for parents and staff alike, Subers said he rather enjoys being the principal for middle school students.

"I'm happy to be the principal at a middle school," said Subers. "People say middle school is tough but I've been doing it for a long time now. Middle school is such a special age. I feel that there is a special need there. I enjoy coming into work, and I love the kids and the families they come from."

Subers' first day as principal may have not been the easiest but it was definitely one of the most memorable memories as principal.

It was December of 2003 and 20 minutes just before dismissal when a car accident occurred right in front of the school, shutting down Paxon Hollow Road.

"I had to think quick and make a decision about what dismissal to call but it all came off at some decision and all the teachers had come together," remembered Subers. "It was an orderly dismissal. That was just the start of the teamwork here and everyone stepped up without being asked to do that. And I felt that it was just the start of my first day as principal–it was a trial but I had a whole team behind me. It was just the beginning of many things of coming together."

One of his favorite personal memories in education came from his earlier memories as a rookie math teacher at Marple Newtown High School.

At the time, the math department didn't have enough desks for him so he shared a room with a colleague Joe George, the business education teacher at the school. When George's time came to leave the school, Subers asked him one question: "If you could do it all over again, would you?"

George replied to Subers, "I wouldn't change a single thing."

"That's one thing that always stuck with me, and that is if I had to do it all over again, I also wouldn't change a single thing," said Subers.

And for the future of the middle school: "I believe that we can only get better. We need to continuously look to improve the goals for the kids here," said Subers.