The University of Pittsburgh School of Education honored Dr. Randal A. Lutz with its 2023 Distinguished Alumni Awards, which recognize transformative work in the field of education. The awards ceremony took place on March 29 at the University Club in Oakland.
Lutz’s more than 30 years of service include 11 years in the role of superintendent.
He is accomplishing a 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.
In addition to his superintendent duties for Baldwin-Whitehall, 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 11 school districts across the greater Pittsburgh region. Lutz also tirelessly contributes to public education advocacy efforts at the state and national levels.
Deeply invested in the future of teaching, Lutz has recently returned to educating future leaders by teaching classes in academic leadership at both California University of Pennsylvania and Point Park University.
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.
Lutz 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.