You may already know Mr. Szyndler from his role as an assistant principal at Fostoria Elementary School since 2022. This year, he’s stepping into the position of principal. I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Mr. Szyndler to learn more about him and his vision for our elementary school. I invite you to read our interview and get to know your new principal, Mr. Szyndler.
1. What inspired you to pursue a career in education? What was your educational background before coming to FES?
When I went to college, I was unsure of what to study. Because I was a good academic student, my family encouraged me to study engineering. I quickly learned that I was much more interested in learning about people and the experiences that shaped who they became. My wife is a teacher, my father-in-law was a teacher and administrator, and my mother-in-law was a nurse. Spending more time with them than my own family allowed me to develop a love of working in the 'people' business. Prior to FES, I had the opportunity to work in urban, suburban, and rural school settings. I started in athletic administration, gradually increasing my skill set to include all music programs, the visual and performing arts, facility management, and alumni relations, among others. I then transitioned into the role of assistant principal, a title I have held for the last 16 years. I am proud of my background in that it furthered my belief in providing opportunities for students to find out what their passions are, and not just in the classroom.
2. What about FES made you want to take the position as the head principal?
The staff at FES works incredibly hard! They care so much for our students that I cannot imagine going somewhere else and having the same feeling. A tremendous opportunity exists in Fostoria to work closely with families and form partnerships. We want to provide the best possible environment for children to develop a strong sense of self, empathy for others, and a lifelong passion for learning and challenging themselves. If we approach every situation with this mindset, our community can achieve anything.
3. What is your vision for Fostoria Elementary moving forward?
Treat others the way you want to be treated. At the end of the day, students will earn grades, retain some information and forget a lot more! We all did when we were this age, and we all survived. My vision is that teachers, families and students will recognize that while academic grades are important, anyone can be successful in life if they treat others the way they want to be treated . . . make mistakes, be brave, show empathy and know you have support around you!
4. What are you most excited about?
In education, we get to start every day with a 'blank slate'. I love that my career encourages people to try new things and fail, to learn from mistakes and work with real-life human beings and not live in a virtual world! If we, as educators, are afraid to try new things or admit when we're wrong, then we are not modeling what we expect from our students.
5. Would you like to share any personal information with the Fostoria community?
I've been happily married for 27 years to Amy, a teacher with Perrysburg Schools. We have two daughters - Alexandra is a senior at Coastal Carolina University studying marine science and biology, and Abigail is a high school sophomore who will be spending the next year studying in Chile as part of the Rotary Youth Exchange. When I'm not spending time with my work family, I enjoy running (road and trail races) and traveling. I'm also proud to share that I am a first-generation U.S. citizen.