Schools

Shaffer Elementary PTO President Seeks School Board Seat

Tara Reis is an active parent and Woodland Hills graduate who wants to increase her involvement in a district-wide position on the school board.

Tara Reis has been to all but two Woodland Hills School Board meetings in the last four years.

And that’s just in her role as an engaged citizen.

A proud graduate of the district, on

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“As corny as it sounds, one of the board members likes to call me a cheerleader – and I am,” she said. “We have so many teachers who have graduated from Woodland Hills and have gone back to teach there. We have a lot of people really invested in the district and I am glad to say that people think I am one of them."

Reis, 39, of Churchill lives with her husband, Jim Reis, who works in circulation at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. They have two children, Adam, 10, and Reilly, 9. Both are students at Shaffer Elementary School, where Reis is president of the Parent Teacher Organization.

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“I have been a PTO officer for the last six years and this is my fourth year as president,” Reis said. “I am also very active in athletics and performing arts as far as attendance goes – those are my favorite times of year.”

With a background in selling advertising at Fox 53, Fox Sports and KDKA Radio, Reis retired in 2000 to focus on her children. Since then, she has been working part-time, selling advertising for “In Woodland Hills” magazine.

Reis is running on a platform of opening communication between administrators and teachers, parents and taxpayers across the school district. She also is focused on raising Woodland Hills’ profile through actively engaging all students to provide top-notch educations.

“Our head football coach says ‘Coach every kid every day,’ and I think that can be expanded to teach every child every day and meet every child where they are,” Reis said. “There is so much choice out there now and I think we need to work a little bit harder to make Woodland Hills a top choice for the people who reside in our district.”

Reis wants communication between everyone involved in the school district to be clearer as well.

“We need to be talking to council people from the 12 boroughs that make up the district – parents, teachers, students – whether you have kids in the district or you don’t, you have a say – you’re a shareholder and you’re a taxpayer,” Reis said. “I think we need to do everything we can to restore the district to its former grandeur. Our population hasn’t changed but our population at our schools has.”

With several parochial school options for elementary students, Reis wants to see the number of students living in the district – and using Woodland Hills District Schools – increase.

Reis said, if elected to the school board, she would make herself available to residents across the district.

“When I meet someone, they are going to get a business card with my home number and my email on it,” Reis said. “As an at-large member, I can talk to anyone in the district and represent everyone in the district.”

T.J. Cioppa of Wilkins Township, a state constable, said he grew up with Reis while they attended the former Edgewood Middle School.

“She’s a great mom, a great wife and one of the biggest supporters of the Woodland Hills School District,” Cioppa said. “Anytime I need to know anything about the school district, I call Tara and she is right on the spot about anything. She is like the pulse of the school board and she isn’t even on it yet.”


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