The University of Pittsburgh School of Education has announced Dr. Randal A. Lutz as a recipient of its 2023 Distinguished Alumni Awards recognizing transformative work in the field of education. The Awards Ceremony will take place on Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at 5:30 p.m. at the University Club in Oakland.
Dr. Lutz proudly shares the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award with Silver Francis Oonyu who has managed to procure funding, develop proposals, and break ground on the Silver Memorial Inclusive Learning Center, or SMILE School in Uganda.
As the superintendent of the Baldwin-Whitehall School District (BWSD), Dr. Randal A. Lutz is responsible for more than just the daily academic education of the 4,600 students who attend his district’s schools. A lifelong Baldwin resident who was raised in these same neighborhoods and attended these same schools, Dr. Lutz also finds himself responsible for building community, inside the District’s schools and out.
Dr. Lutz’s 30+ years of service include 11 years in the role of superintendent, experience providing him with the opportunity to serve his neighbors in a wide variety of additional capacities: as a community unifier, a compassionate mentor, an advocate for veterans and the elderly, a warm and welcoming guide for the many new families who call his district home, and a relatable and reassuring leader for longtime residents who are inspired by Dr. Lutz’s progressive and inclusive vision for their district’s future.
Dr. Lutz is accomplishing this inspiring District-wide “education evolution” by fostering a supportive culture of caring that focuses on improving whole student health, and by modeling a “state of grace” that encourages empathy, inclusivity, and collaborative assistance for students and staff alike that extends far beyond the classroom.
The Baldwin-Whitehall School District presents one of the most unique funding challenges in Allegheny County. Its residents include many young families whose careers are just beginning, as well as a large and extremely diverse population of immigrants and refugees, many of whom are non-native English speakers and require English Language Learning support in school. In addition, over 40% of BWSD students are considered low-income, and 11% participate in Special Education programs.
Some of the many ways Dr. Lutz and BWSD are leading the way in serving the mental, emotional, academic, and communal needs of the District include prioritizing and destigmatizing student mental health, strengthening academic support at every grade level, advocating a better alternative to charter schools, investing in post-graduation career success, empowering students with special needs, and building traditional communication into trusted relationships with consistent, transparent and engaging dialogue with employees, families and residents.
The District’s Comprehensive Planning process this year attracted over 150 volunteers, which underscores the sense of shared responsibility and communal investment that Dr. Lutz’s culture of caring is nurturing throughout every facet of the District experience – and that families feel that their voices are welcome, respected and encouraged.
Today, Dr. Lutz ensures that parents and students are kept up-to-date about the construction of the District’s new R. A. Lutz Elementary School. Named for Dr. Lutz, the new state-of-the-art building will begin serving our District’s fast-growing population of students in Grades 3–5 in the 2023-2024 school year.
In addition to his Superintendent duties for Baldwin–Whitehall, Dr. Lutz also serves as the Superintendent of Record of the Steel Center for Career and Technical Education, where he oversees a public school providing career and technical education for students from eleven school districts across the greater Pittsburgh region. Dr. Lutz also tirelessly contributes to public education advocacy efforts at the state and national levels.
Deeply invested in the future of teaching, Dr. Lutz has recently returned to educating future leaders by teaching classes in academic leadership at both California University of Pennsylvania and Point Park University.
Dr. Lutz earned his Bachelor of Science, Masters of Education and Doctor of Education degrees at the University of Pittsburgh. He is a member of the PASA Board of Governors, the AASA Governing Board and Past President and current Treasurer of SHASDA Superintendents’ Advisory Group. The District is a member of the Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools and the AASA Learning 2025 program.
The University of Pittsburgh’s School of Education honors the outstanding accomplishments of its graduates through its Distinguished Alumni Award program. Criteria for the Distinguished Alumni Award include recognition of professional achievement, public service to the advancement of the educational field, and a commitment to the continued success of the School of Education and the University of Pittsburgh. The significant contributions of our distinguished award recipients have brought recognition to the University and the School of Education.
