Dr. Lisa Mumau, Primary Center Principal.
For students, the start of a new school year comes with all sorts of new experiences, whether it’s making new friends or learning new lessons. However, new experiences are also in store for Sto-Rox administrators, with new Primary Center Principal Lisa Mumau leading the way.
“We have 180 days of endless possibilities and opportunities,” she said. “That one little thing that we do is setting that trajectory, not only for our students, but for our staff, our faculty, and our community.”
Dr. Mumau comes to Sto-Rox following her work as Assistant Principal of Ringgold Elementary School South, in the Ringgold School District. Her arrival is part of an administrative adjustment for grades K-6, with Heather Johnston returning as Principal of the Upper Elementary. Timothy Liparulo will be Assistant Principal of the Primary Center and a coordinator of the Virtual Vikings Online Academy.
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Dr. Mumau brings years of experience and expertise, with degrees in psychology, counselor education, administration, and a doctorate in educational leadership. Most recently, she completed a program on trauma-informed care and de-escalation.
“I’ve never had more excitement. I’m traveling about 35 miles each way,” said the Westmoreland County resident. “I’ve never been more energized.”
Spending more than a decade in the Yough School District, Dr. Mumau developed a keen understanding of social-emotional learning. She rose in the ranks of her district, chairing her school counseling department and attaining principal certification and her doctorate.
“(My doctorate) focused on social-emotional learning in an elementary context, for my girls, and how we can translate those skills to middle school,” said Dr. Mumau. “We know our students in the middle ages really need those skills and those abilities to resolve conflicts.”
Dr. Mumau also spent time as Pupil Services Director of the Steel Valley School District, where she oversaw educational programs, plus transportation and safety issues. While she had a good experience in that district, a different challenge called to her.
“I just felt like I needed to be more ‘boots on the ground,’” said Dr. Mumau, “creating those systems and working as a building leader.”
That initiative led her to Ringgold and her work as Assistant Principal. For more than two years, she leaned into leadership. Dr. Mumau emphasized positive behavior through PBIS, school-based mental health supports, special education programming, and boosted the district’s ELA and Math curriculum.
Now starting her first principal assignment, Dr. Mumau is clear-eyed about the road ahead, both in the near and long-term.
“Build relationships with my staff, my faculty, our families, and of course our students, to build that trust,” said Dr. Mumau about her short-term goals. “That I am part of the solution, that anytime my students, staff, community needs something I'm on the front lines walking and working with them, and not against them.”
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Looking down the road, Dr. Mumau is optimistic about the path forward for Primary Center students and staff, praising the building blocks established by current and former district educators.
Among her goals: making sure the community – not just students and parents – understand PBIS, “making sure I have complete understanding, so our students can really live our Viking message: Kind, Capable, and In Control.”
Another goal is to raise student performance on state assessments. Whether it’s developing screening tools for students or advancing gains made by teachers through professional development, testing success is a priority.
“If we can show the Pennsylvania Department of Education our third grade learners are making gains in ELA and Math, that we’re preparing them for the STEEL (Science, Technology & Engineering, Environmental Literacy) Standards in 4th grade, that’s going to be a success.”
Dr. Mumau is also making connections in the Sto-Rox community. Soon after she was hired, she visited a local community center and advocated for bringing students into the district starting in Kindergarten.
“I had some parents and some grandparents say, ‘Why Sto-Rox? What can you give my son, my daughter, my grandchildren?’”
Dr. Mumau’s answer was to emphasize the importance of building a community.
“It’s being able to go into a neighborhood school and being educated with their peers,” she said. “They already have a level of comfort with the neighborhood and its activities. We need to let them know we can showcase our language arts, our science, our reading.”
“We’re doing great things with our music program, our art program, our STEM program,” she continued, “just getting (students) to tap into their own unique curiosity.”
Community involvement also means revitalizing the Sto-Rox PTO (Parent-Teacher Organization). In listening to local parents, Dr. Mumau got the message: make participation more accessible.
“What does that look like, when we’re showcasing the very best of what we are as a Viking community? Because we want them to have our voices heard.”
It’s a statement that speaks to Dr. Mumau’s view of her role in leading young learners - encouraging a sense of community, support, and caring - that will serve Sto-Rox well.
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