A preschool teacher with a penchant for Cheez-Its, succulent gardening, bird watching and serving her community is settling into a new leadership role with a well-established nonprofit based in Fox Chapel.
Margaret Haas of O’Hara was named executive director of Fox Chapel Area Adult Education and began her new role last month.
The nonprofit was founded in 1962 after the new Fox Chapel Area High School was constructed to provide evening enrichment classes for adults in the community.
Three semesters of programming are offered, from September through May, at the high school. Class topics include art, cards and games, cooking, wine and spirits, fitness and health, history, home and garden, outdoors, photography, swimming and music.
Haas was first introduced to FCAAE as an instructor teaching a class on succulents and later served as assistant director alongside the former executive director, Sue Goodwin of Fox Chapel.
Goodwin, who served as executive director for more than 23 years, praised Haas as a wonderful choice.
“Margaret was such an amazing find and a fast study. She really embraces the whole mission, which is such a gift,” Goodwin said. “I’m so thrilled our board committed to a two-person model. I’m thrilled to really have a chance to take a break. Margaret is an answer to our prayers.”
Haas is hopeful more adults will choose to “get out of their comfort zone” and take a class that interests or challenges them.
She stressed the classes are open to all adults, from any community.
“The beautiful thing about Adult Education is it’s been around for 63 years, and my goal is to make more people aware of our wonderful programs and that anyone can enroll in these classes. People still say they think we’re only open to people living in the Fox Chapel Area School District, and that’s not true,” Haas said.
Haas, 51, grew up in Charlottesville, Va., and graduated from the University of Virginia with a double major in French and political science.
She is married to Mark Haas. They have a son and daughter in high school, and their oldest daughter is enrolled at the College of William & Mary.
Haas previously worked in communications in higher education at Harvard University, the University of Virginia and University of Pittsburgh. She teaches 16 3-year-old preschoolers, dubbed the “Kind Kangaroos,” at Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church.
Haas keeps a bird feeder outside her classroom window and loves to catch sight of her favorite bird, the Carolina wren, because they’re very small and very sassy.
“I love that I work with the youngest kids but I also get to work with older adults, and that’s something that I really love about both of these jobs,” Haas said.
This spring, the lineup includes 15 new classes, including block printing, aqua jogging, pasta making, population aging and international peace and a watercolor landscape class taught by Hannah Wolfe of O’Hara.
Wolfe said seeing adults discover themselves again artistically is rewarding.
“I keep it light and silly, with music on, and I try to create an environment that I would like to paint in,” Wolfe said. “To see adults regain that ‘Hey, I’m good at this’ or ‘I can get better at this’ is good.”
Noted Haas: “People come and take our classes and it gets them out of their comfort zones a little bit.”
Goodwin reflected on passing the leadership torch to Haas.
“I want to share what a privilege it’s been to lead our ‘community gem,’ and my goal has always been to make FCAAE a welcoming place where adults from all communities can come together to learn, discover, thrive and build meaningful connections around shared interests,” Goodwin said. “How lucky we are to have her leading our community.”