New Ringgold superintendent eager to create unique environment for learning
Mark Soroka
Megan Marie Van Fossan is pictured in her Ringgold School District superintendent’s office.
As Megan Marie Van Fossan takes the helm of Ringgold for the start of a new school year, she brings a passion for learning and a desire to help each student build a strong foundation for a productive, fulfilling life.
“I live and breathe education,” said Van Fossan, during a break in her preparations for the start of school. “I come to work every day looking for a way to help improve the lives of the kids who walk through our doors. And the way to do that is to help our students become expert learners. By the time our students graduate, they should have a toolkit of skills they can use to solve any type of challenge they may encounter in their lives.”
Van Fossan, who became superintendent of the Ringgold School District on July 1, has an extensive background in educational leadership. After earning a bachelor’s degree in special education from Ohio State University, Van Fossan received a master’s degree in school leadership and administration from George Mason University and a master’s degree in secondary education from the University of Alabama. She also has a certificate in advanced educational leadership and management from Harvard University.
Before coming to Ringgold, Van Fossan was the director of special services for the McGuffey School District in Claysville, Pa. Van Fossan also taught middle school and high school special education in Columbus, Ohio, and worked on sustainable developmental projects in South America. In addition, she has been an invited speaker at a variety of national and statewide educational conferences.
Van Fossan became intrigued about working for Ringgold after learning that the district was looking for a new superintendent.
“There are so many amazing things that are happening at Ringgold,” said Van Fossan. “Ringgold has a great school board and passionate teachers. Its facilities are state-of-the-art. It has an impressive sports tradition. And so much more. Ringgold is perfectly positioned to meet the needs of our students as we continue to move forward through the 21st century.”
Van Fossan added that Ringgold is a safer place to learn, work and play, thanks to the efforts of her predecessor, the late Dr. Karen Polkabla, who put a strong emphasis on upgrading security protocols for the district. Recently, Ringgold was ranked by Niche.com as one of the safest school districts in Washington County and its police department received a 2018 Model SRO Agency Award from the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) for creative and innovative approaches to school-based policing.
“Dr. Polkabla was passionate about ensuring Ringgold’s students, teachers and staff are safe,” said Van Fossan. “We plan to build on her legacy by continuing to make improvements to our security systems.”
One of Van Fossan’s top goals is to create a more effective learning experience through instructional design.
“We are going to work on our instructional design to make education more interactive, engaging and personalized for all our students,” she said. “The curriculum should never be static. It is always evolving and should be responsive to needs of our students. If a strategy isn’t working for a child, we need to go back to the data and figure out how we can do things better.”
As a young girl, Van Fossan struggled with a disability, but she was able to excel in school, thanks to the support of her family and teachers. She is a strong advocate for giving all children an equal opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background or abilities.
“We currently have about 70 students with special needs who are being served outside the district,” she said. “When possible, I think kids should have the opportunity to go to school in their neighborhoods, along with their brothers, sisters and cousins. They should know what it’s like to be a Ringgold Ram. One of my goals is to bring those students back to the district with appropriate supports and services. But it’s important to note that we don’t want to just bring them back and put them into a structure that isn’t suited for them. We want to design a system that is responsive to their needs, so they can become successful.”
Although Van Fossan is still getting to know the district’s teachers, staff and board members, she already feels like a member of the Ringgold family.
“Everyone I have met has been so kind and helpful,” she said. “The school board has also been very supportive of the things I am designing. Some of my ideas are very different from what’s been the norm in traditional public schools in western Pennsylvania. But the board is in favor of what that design will look like. They really want to improve the standing of our district and improve our outcomes.”
Van Fossan, who lives with her husband, Jose, in Washington, Pa., looks forward to the start of the school year and a long-lasting relationship with Ringgold.
“I’m extremely excited to be here and humbled that the board has chosen me to lead the Ringgold School District,” said Van Fossan. “I plan to be a learning leader, a listener and actively visible throughout the schools and communities that make up Ringgold School District.”