Tyrone native Shane Cowher recently became the new Tyrone Area Middle School Principal.

Cowher, a 1998 graduate of Tyrone Area High School, has been on the job since mid-December and is excited to be working in his hometown.

“My first few weeks on the job have been great. Everyone has been very welcoming. Even as I run errands in town, people have been coming up to me and saying ‘Congratulations on the new job, glad to have you.’ It has been so nice. You don’t get that everywhere,” said Cowher.

Cowher attended Penn State for his undergraduate degree in secondary education/social studies with minors in history, political science, and geography. He later attended Saint Francis University for his Master of Education and principal certification.

Interestingly, Dr. Janet Kelly and Marshall Wagner, who were the principals at Tyrone while Cowher was a TAHS student, were his professors at St. Francis.

Cowher taught English at Juniata Valley High School for twelve years. While at Juniata Valley, he also served as the head junior high football coach, assistant varsity football coach, speech team coach, and ESL coordinator.

In 2016 Cowher moved to Altoona Area High School, where he was an assistant principal at Altoona Area Junior High School for four years.

Cowher has a passion for education and loves working directly with students.

“I believe in the power of education to change people’s lives and to create opportunities for people. I love to help people. That’s why I love working in schools,” said Cowher.

Cowher plans to build on Tyrone’s success and looks forward to working with the faculty and staff of the middle school.

“Tyrone is a wonderful community, and we have an excellent school district. It is a great place to raise a family, and our kids can accomplish great things in life. This is a school that has already had a lot of success and I want to continue to build upon that success,” said Cowher.

Cowher lives in Tyrone with his wife and three children. In his free time, he enjoys running and working out. His hobbies include outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing, and hiking. At home, he enjoys reading, cooking, and watching football.

Cower replaces Kristen Pinter, who left the middle school principal’s position to become the Director of Curriculum and Instruction, replacing Leslie Estep was hired as the new superintendent.

“Tyrone is my hometown, and I still live here. I wanted to come back to serve my community. This is a community that has given so much to me, and I want to give back,” said Cowher.