Mission
The mission of the Foundation is to support the Woodland Hills School District and its communities by strengthening the educational experience of our children.
Since merging with the Woodland Hills Academic Foundation, the Foundation can now claim a combined existence since 1999. The combined Foundation is an even stronger impassioned team of parents, community and business leaders, and educators who live and work in Woodland Hills communities.
Core Beliefs
Public education is the single-most important institution and a vital part of the community fabric. Identifying and delivering improvement opportunities not just for students but for faculty and staff is foundational – we can only develop world class students with world class faculty and staff.
Why Are We So Passionate?
It is important to understand that Woodland Hills supports students across the complete spectrum of socio-economic, ethnic and learning abilities, which requires more robust programming. Add the fact that state and federal funding is decreasing; there are new requirements from unfunded government-mandated testing; and the population continues to decline as families move further out decreasing the tax revenue…All this results in a challenging situation for public school districts like ours.
The Foundation can change all of that, with our commitment — and your help — we can support the new Woodland Hills School District leaders to be successful in their vision…after all, it’s the same as ours. We want every child to learn at the highest levels possible, not just at their current potential.
We want every child to be able to extend his or herself beyond what they are capable of achieving today. To do that, we need the most innovative curriculum, the best teachers, the best administrators and the best communities to foster that development and growth.
Board of Directors
The Woodland Hills Foundation Board members are leaders in business, the community, the school district and other non-profit organizations.
Who We Are
Officers
Board President
Dr. Steven T. Gough
Board Vice President
Timothy Cummings
Investment Committee
Scholarship Committee
Board Treasurer
Mary Trigo
Investment Committee
Mini Grants Committee
Board Secretary
Jessica Reed
H.U.G.S. Committee
Communications Committee
Alumni Cabaret Committee
Board
Board Member
Courtney Boone
Board Member
Ronna Currie
H.U.G.S. Committee
Board Member
Kathleen Good
Alumni Cabaret Committee
Mini Grants Committee
Board Member
Carlton Scott
Scholarship Committee
Board Member
Nicole Siverling
Board Member
Trista Yatsko-Shurr
Communications Committee
About the Woodland Hills School District
The Woodland Hills School District encompasses many of the boroughs east of the City of Pittsburgh, covering 13.5 square miles. It serves a population of over 50,000 residents, which is nearly one-fifth the size of the City of Pittsburgh and is one of the largest school districts in Western Pennsylvania.
Its close proximity to Downtown Pittsburgh allows for countless educational, cultural, social and employment opportunities. Woodland Hills also is located minutes from some of the top colleges and universities in the country: Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pittsburgh, Point Park University and Duquesne University. Approximately 4,500 students are served by Woodland Hills, providing them with opportunities to develop educationally, athletically, artistically and socially.
Five schools comprise the Woodland Hills School District: Edgewood Elementary STEAM Academy (Pre-K - 5), Turtle Creek Elementary STEAM Academy (Pre-K - 5), Wilkins Elementary STEAM Academy (Pre-K - 5), Woodland Hills Intermediate School (6-8), Woodland Hills High School (9-12).
Accomplishments & Notable Alumni
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Woodland Hills High School musicals have received the prestigious Gene Kelly Award 110 times (including nine for Best Musical) and was nominated an amazingly 219 times.
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Recipient of U.S News and World Report Bronze Medal for the past 4 years in a row (2014-17)
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Woodland Hills is a two time champion of the Pennsylvania Statewide Mock Trial competition — sponsored by the state bar association — two years running.
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Woodland Hills was one of only three Pittsburgh-area high schools to make Newsweek’s “Top of the Class” ranking in 2003. It ranked 635 in the top 1,300 US high schools.
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Woodland Hills High School has supported multiple National Merit finalists and graduates who went on to attend highly regarded institutions such as Brown University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Georgetown University and Carnegie Mellon University, among others.
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The football team has been ranked nationally, and its stadium — the Wolverina — has been named as one of the top 10 places to watch a high school football game in the United States by both USA Today and ESPN.com.
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Woodland Hills High School has produced nine NFL players since the early 1990s: Jason Taylor (Retired-Miami Dolphins), Steve Breaston (Kansas City Chiefs), Lousaka Polite (New England Patriots), Rob Gronkowski (New England Patriots) Ryan Mundy (Chicago Bears) Shawntae Spencer (San Francisco 49ers)Terrence Johnson (Indianapolis Colts) Darrin Walls (Atlanta Falcons) and Wesley Bodie. Two Woodland Hills alumni competed — against each other — in Super Bowl XLIII!
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Many students each year are selected to attend various Pennsylvania Governor’s Schools of Excellence, which include programs in agricultural sciences; the arts; global entrepreneurship; information, society and technology; international studies; sciences; and teaching.
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Middle schools are active in the Pennsylvania Parent Information and Resource Center, which enhances parent and community engagement.
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The district successfully implemented the Pre-K Counts program in 2007 which is designed to better prepare children who cannot afford preschool to enter school.
