North Hills Middle School's Joseph Welch finalist for National Teacher of the Year

North Hills Middle School teacher Joseph Welch has been named one of four finalists for 2022 National Teacher of the Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers.

If chosen, the eighth-grade American History teacher will spend a year serving as “an ambassador for education and an advocate for teachers and students across the country,” according to a news release from North Hills School District.

Welch is a graduate of South Fayette High School and Duquesne University, where he majored in secondary education in history. He obtained his master’s and principal certificate from California University of Pennsylvania.

Welch was also Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year in 2020 and the 2019 National Social Studies Teacher of the Year.

“We are thrilled to learn that Joe Welch is a finalist for National Teacher of the Year,” said North Hills Middle School principal LaMont Lyons. “He is a dynamic educator and role model for everyone in our school.”

Welch said his success has come from “the relationships I have been fortunate enough to build with not only my students, but so many colleagues that have contributed and supported me throughout my career.”

The covid pandemic allowed Welch to become more inventive in his teaching techniques. When school went completely virtual, he was still able to keep students engaged.

“I went out into the community and started teaching lessons when we had the opportunity to do live lessons,” Welch said.

Lessons were taught from Point State Park, Mt. Washington and Welch and some of his fellow teachers drove to Fort Necessity in Uniontown to give lessons.

Welch looks for the future to allow equality in education, no matter where a student lives.

“Obviously education is at its most pivotal point, but what are we doing to make sure that we are funding opportunities in schools equally? Are we fully funding these opportunities so that it’s not just for one set of students? We’re having shortages in terms of filling teaching roles and getting undergraduates pursuing careers in education,” Welch said. “What are we going to do to make education and being a teacher more incentivizing to people?”

Welch is also concerned about the diversity in the education pipeline, not only nationally, but specifically in Pennsylvania where 50% of schools don’t have a teacher of color on staff.

“When you look at that statistic, and you look at just how the number of teaching certificates in Pennsylvania has fallen in the last 10 years, we do have to look at policy solutions in order to make sure that we have quality teachers and a diverse group of teachers,” Welch said.

Welch is the 2022 CCSSO Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year. The winner of the National Teacher of the Year award will be announced later this spring.