Mr. Specter

Mr. Specter joined Steel Valley just before the 2006-07 school year as a CISCO and Computer teacher. Prior to joining Steel Valley Mr. Specter taught at Woodland Hills for five years. There he taught Software Applications, CISCO CCNA (The networking course) and Business Law.

Mr. Specter originally joined Woodland Hills full-time in 1998 as a computer support tech in the Woodland Hills Data Center. There he assisted in building Woodland Hill's wide area computer network and developed several software applications for use by that district. He also served on the Woodland Hills district-wide technology committee.

He also played a major role in designing the Woodland Hills TV Studio.

He began teaching full-time in September of 2001. Prior to joining Woodland Hills Mr. Specter had an interesting career. Among his stops on his career path were the following:

• He worked for the advertising division of Ketchum Communications, a major advertising and public relations firm for 16 years running their in-house production facility. Clients included a sort of a who's who of major corporations including Stouffer's Frozen Foods, Heinz, Pittsburgh Paints, PPG Industries, Westinghouse, The Pittsburgh Pirates, International Harvester, Rubbermaid, MSA, Alcoa, Eat n' Park, Rockwell International, PNCBank, Bell Atlantic (Now part of Verizon), Iron City Beer, Digital Computer Corporation and many others.

• He spent 2 1/2 years as a writer/producer in Phar-Mor Productions, a corporate communications facility doing both print and electronic communications.

• He ran his own production house for 7 years directing and producing TV/Radio commercials, industrial films,  and Audio Visual presentations. He was among the first to do computer animation in the Pittsburgh area. His clients included many local advertising agencies and major corporations including Blattner/Brunner, Catalyist, DDF&M (Now part of Ten United), PNC Bank, Kings Family Restaurants, Duquesne Light, Pittsburgh Public Theater, Uncle Charlie's Sausage, and Hallmark Advertising. A sample reel of Mr. Specter's work is posted on this web site.

• He taught TV production classes at Duquesne University at both the graduate and undergraduate levels while still an undergraduate himself. He brought their in-house studio from being a lab into an on-line facility serving the entire university. He also served on the university's communications committee.

• He worked retail at various times in his career to fill in the gaps along the way.

• He designed and built several TV studios and audio-visual presentation rooms in Pittsburgh, New York and Philadelphia.

• He worked as a freelance videographer and film maker.

• He worked as a substitute teacher, teaching everything from special education through AP classes in several school districts.

• He has served as a computer network administrator in the creative department of a major retailer.

Every position Mr. Specter has held since college has required an extensive knowledge of computers and software.

Mr. Specter holds a master's degree in Business/Technology from Robert Morris University. He also earned a BS in Education from Duquesne University and an ITS certification from Robert Morris University. He is certified to teach history and government courses, business and technology courses, and communications arts courses as well as CISCO computer networking. 

His Pennsylvania certifications allow him to teach TV Production, Animation, Theatre, Journalism, Film, Debate, Business Law, Accounting and Business Math courses as well as Computer Science.  Click here to view Mr. Specter's teaching certificate(s). In the summer of 2006 he attended the Governor's School for the Arts. In the summer of 2009 he attended two workshops on computer programming at Carnegie Mellon University.

Mr. Specter's wife is an elementary art teacher in the Mt. Lebanon School District. She holds certifications in English and Theatre Arts as well as Art. A few years ago she was recognized as the Elementary Art Teacher of the Year by the Pennsylvania Art Education Association. In 2001 she co-chaired the statewide PAEA convention. She maintains a web site for each of her buildings, Foster School and Jefferson School.

They have a 28-year-old daughter and a 22-year-old son. Their daughter graduated with a degree in Elementary Education from Gannon University. She was on the dean's list and had the benefits of a scholarship for playing on the university softball team. After working as a teacher in Erie, PA she has relocated back to Pittsburgh and is currently working for Head Start while looking for a contract teaching position in the Pittsburgh area. Her classroom has been documented as being the best Headstart Classroom in the area. It was been videotaped by the Intermediate Unit as an example for other teachers. She is running a part-time fused glass jewelery business called "Glass Godesses."

Their son took his first college course between his freshman and sophomore high school years in the summer of 2003 and got an "A". He had a supporting role in Prime Stage's production of "Lord of the Flies" in the spring of 2004. In the summer of 2005 he participated in the "Andrew's Leap" program at Carnegie-Mellon University.  In 2006 he graduated with honors from Mt. Lebanon High School. In May of 2010 he graduated Cum Laude from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., dual majoring in Computer Science and International Relations for his bachelors degrees while also earning a Master's Degree in Computer Science. He had several job offers before he graduated including one from a group associated with MIT, which he accepted. He was the recipient of a National Science Foundation Scholarship which covered his tuition and expenses for his last two years of undergraduate and his first master's degree.

Needless to say Mr. and Mrs. Specter are very proud of both their children.

Mr. Specter and his wife have served together on major projects for several  community service and educational organizations including First Night  and the Pennsylvania Art Education Association.

In their free time they like to travel. In the summer of 2001 they spent three weeks on safari in Africa. To see a video of their trip or to read about their adventure Click Here.

They also enjoy travelling to slightly less exotic places.

Read about Mr. Specter's African Adventure.

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