On Jan. 15, State High Principal Laura Tobias was announced as the Pennsylvania Principals Association’s Principal of the Year for 2025-26. Tobias has been at State High for eight years, with five years as an assistant principal and three years as principal.  

Tobias has been in education for 32 years, with 12 years in administration. She began teaching at Hammondsport High School in Hammondsport, NY, followed by Smethport Elementary School in Smethport, PA. From there, she moved to Central Pennsylvania, teaching history at Penns Valley High School before making the transition to administration as a dean of students and assistant principal. In 2016, she became an assistant principal at State High and has been the principal for the last three years. 

Tobias was told that she won the award via a phone call following interviews and site visits, and she attributed her success to the State High community. 

“I think the award is a testament to all of you. And when I say all of you, [I mean the] the high school team, I mean the students, the faculty, the staff, the janitors, the secretaries, the cafeteria paras, the cafeteria workers. It’s a testament to how hard everyone’s working and their commitment to education,” Tobias said. “I could not get this [award] without all of you. So it’s humbling and it’s such an honor.” 

Tobias’ philosophy as an educator and leader is centered around listening to the ideas and needs of her students and team. 

“I think the number one thing that sticks out to me when we’re talking about Mrs. Tobias is that her door’s always open and she’s always willing to listen and I think as a leader that’s the number one skill you could have is just people trust coming to talk to you,” Assistant Principal Ryan Walsh said. “I know whether it’s kids, whether it’s staff, whether it’s anybody else that works in the building, if they have a problem, they know they could go talk to Laura and they know that she’s going to listen and she’s going to help them in any avenue that she can.”

“She sees people holistically for who they are and she wants to support them […] She’s really looking for creative solutions, she’s looking for input. She’s a big, ‘I do things with people, not to them or for them because then we lose our autonomy here’ [person],” Assistant Principal Danielle Ambrosia said. “With student gov, she’s always meeting with them and asking, ‘what are your ideas?’ She’ll be out in the CEGL in the morning and a lot of times students come up to her and say, ‘Hey, can we do this?’ And she’s like, ‘Oh, let’s talk about it. Get on my schedule.’”

Tobias credits this philosophy to her experiences becoming principal shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic, seeing how many community members were impacted. 

“The pandemic that impacted schools, [it] impacted you, your parents, grandparents, everybody,” Tobias said. “For me that was really sad and it was dark and I was like, ‘What are we doing and how? This shouldn’t be happening. You should have this full life ahead of all of you with wonderful things.’” 

From there, Tobias looked to improve the school climate by implementing the district-wide Positive Behavior Support and Interventions (PBIS) program, which has included Mental Health Summits, birthday month celebrations, and morning mantras. 

“The Mental Health Summit wasn’t a thing until she worked with student government to develop that vision […] giving students space and opportunities to connect and say, ‘Hey, yes, school is for academics and for connection and reflection,’” Ambrosia said. “I don’t think we’ve celebrated as much in this building cumulatively of my career than in the past four years when she’s been at the helm. She’s always looking for a reason to celebrate kids, celebrate teachers, celebrate any staff, and really acknowledge all of the contributions that people make.” 

Tobias admits that some of her initiatives were risky, however, they ultimately paid off in fostering a more supportive school environment. 

“When we have common vocabulary and expectations and [we are] caring for one another and supporting each other; going to student events. I was just at the rock ensemble concert. It was like amazing. I was like, ‘I want to play the guitar. I think I can play the drums.’ No, I can’t. But, just being involved in your life, as well as academics. Because this is your home away from your home,” Tobias said. “This is where we learn all sorts of things, right? Not only academics, but how do we treat one another? How do we help each other? How do we serve? I think being a leader is servant leadership. Where can I give back? How do I help?”

Student Government parliamentarian Cheyla Ramirez-Crawford has collaborated with Tobias on school-wide initiatives, but has also felt her support on more personal matters. When Ramirez-Crawford needed assistance using school resources to find a tutor, Tobias was instrumental in getting her help. 

“She was just so hands-on and so ready to approach the problem,” Ramirez-Crawford said. “She’s also a leader who is so kind to her students. I feel like every single time I saw her at a school board meeting, in school, [or] in the hallways, she’s always checking in on everyone. I just think she’s a really active, approachable person.”

While Tobias’ support ultimately centers around students, it also shines through in her relationships with staff and her administrative team. 

Ambrosia was an English teacher when Tobias first joined the school and was inspired by her to obtain her Principal’s Certificate. Later, Ambrosia interned for Tobias en route to becoming a principal. Tobias became a trusted mentor for the young administrator as she assumed her new role. 

“I feel very fortunate that I’ve had that [mentorship] experience. But one of the things that really helped me when I was interning with her is that she not only mentored me as a school leader, but also as a high-level instructional person, but then also as a mom,” Ambrosia said. “She recognizes that you can’t separate the adults in the building by just, ‘you’re a teacher when you’re here and whatever’s happening beyond your world that’s not my business.’ She is very invested in not just the professional growth of people, but their personal growth, them meeting their dreams.” 

Ahead of her upcoming reign as PA Principal of the Year, Tobias hopes to celebrate the award with her team and help other districts implement impactful policies. She also hopes to continue moving towards both school-wide and personal goals, such as obtaining her doctorate in Educational Leadership. 

Ultimately, making a difference in kids’ lives is what Tobias strives to do through her work. 

“My job is to make sure you’re ready to take on the world and give you everything you need, right? […] Could be guidance, could be counseling, could be mental health, could be safety and security. Whatever it is, making sure you have the best academic experience,” Tobias said. “My job is to make sure you’re ready, because someday you might have to take care of me, right? Or your parents, right? You’re the citizen. You’re our future. […] If there’s a mantra like I tell you, I tell myself, ‘Are we doing right by kids?’ I better be able to say yes [to] that, and if I can’t, then how do I need to fix it?”