Mark Nardo

 

1. Tell us about your educational background and what positions you have held? 

I hold a BS in Education from Slippery Rock University; an MA in History from Central Michigan University; Principal's Certification from East Carolina University and hold an AMS Credential in Montessori Leadership and Administration completed through the Seton Montessori Institute. I have served as a teacher, coach, Assistant Principal, Lead Principal, and Principal during my forty years in education.  I have taught and have administrative experience spanning several states, the Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Schools and taught and served as an administrator at the prestigious North Carolina Governor's School. As principal, my school was nationally recognized as a Magnet School of Excellence by Magnet Schools of America in 2010 and in 2021, another school was awarded an Engaging School Award. I also served as the Board President of United Montessori Schools of Indiana. 

 

2. What are you doing in retirement? 

Retirement has provided me with an opportunity to begin a whole new chapter of my life.  Using my extensive experiences in public and private education, public Montessori administration and education, advocacy for Montessori at the state and local levels, and in Montessori and Educational Professional Development spanning forty years, I started Nardo Consulting, LLC. Nardo Consulting offers training, workshops and professional development in school leadership, program development, marketing and school public relations, teacher and school leader coaching and Montessori education.  I recently published my memoir, Anatomy of an Educator.  I enjoy volunteering at my local church, reading, fishing, and reconnecting with family and friends.

 

3. Name one SRU experience, in general or specific to the field, that you will never forget and explain why.

There are so many amazing experiences I had during my four years at SRU . It's hard to name one.  I will never forget being asked to be the student representative on the SRU Presidential Search Committee during my senior year - 1985 - that selected then President Robert Abersold as the SRU President.  It was an honor to be asked to be on the search committee by the Vice President for Student Affairs - I got to know him well when I served as a Student Ambassador and as a co-director of the Student Ambassadors for several years, serving at the president's home and conducting tours of SRU to perspective students and families.  I really was able to see how important SRU was to so many people, the role of President in education and educational leadership and learning how decisions are made at the school and university levels.  This experience helped me become a better leader, teacher, and later, a school administrator.  

 

4. What initially piqued your interest in pursuing a degree in education?

As I write in my memoir, the idea of wanting to teach was planted in my head by others. The great teachers who came before me. My mentors, the role models, and the heroes who taught me and opened my mind to the thought of teaching others. My head and my heart, like most educators, were what I thought called me to teach. I know that sometimes we doubt our heads. Sometimes, I wished I had not experienced the joy of being taught by great teachers because I felt as if it set the stage for some very high, impossible expectations. As educators, we really do go through a type of metamorphosis. We develop, change, and grow into this beautiful creation we call a teacher. What a wonderful and noble thing to become. I thought about being an attorney, but then I wanted to complete my PhD and teach at the college level—you know, where great minds sit about and toy with different ideas and just pontificate. I wanted to be like my favorite teachers and be in front of a classroom of wide-eyed students, eager to learn and ready for me to impart my knowledge to them. I wanted to make a difference and, like a pebble in a pond, ripple the surface of those I was charged with educating. I thought I had something good to share: my love of learning, my love of history, and my ability to communicate both those things to young minds and, later, to staff , parents, and the greater educational community I would lead as a principal. It is hard to say exactly when the head conquered the day. It was early in high school. I had cool teachers who made learning fun and made it look easy. They communicated knowledge and wisdom deftly. It was magical, and it seemed they had this innate gift of being able to connect and communicate what they loved and their subject matter to those in front of them with ease. This is one of the paradoxes of teaching and the educational profession: those who do it well, who communicate well, make it appear effortless.  I just know that, over forty years ago, after I left SRU and began this amazing career, I embarked on a wonderful journey.  It is my hope that I am remembered and loved by my former students and respected by my peers, and by others I had the privilege to work with in education . Because,  I am a teacher, and there is no greater thing in life to be. 

 

5. Tell us about your book and what is the main message you would like readers to take from it? 

I truly believe that Education is at a crossroads. Will people answer the call? In an era of teacher shortages, funding cuts, and diminishing respect for the profession, educators face unprecedented challenges. Yet within these struggles lies an opportunity—to rediscover why we teach, to reconnect with our purpose, and to reclaim the dignity of this noble calling.  Anatomy of an Educator is both a mirror and a map. Through my personal journey in education, this book invites you to embark on your own reflective exploration. Inside, the book, you'll discover:

• Where you are today as an educator—and where education stands in this pivotal moment.  
• The "why" behind your calling—exploring the deeper motivations that drew you to teaching.
• How educators are built—a pragmatic dissection of what shapes us and what we do each day.
• The anatomy of impact—understanding how teaching transforms both teacher and learner.
• A path forward—gaining urgency, respect, and renewed passion for the profession. 

Whether you're a classroom veteran, a prospective teacher, or simply someone who cares about the future of education, this book offers compelling stories and honest reflection that will deepen your understanding of why this work matters.  The path ahead demands more than passive concern—it requires active engagement, volunteer hours, advocacy, and attention.  It is my hope that those who read the book follow this journey. Walk this path. Discover how one educator's body of work can inspire dignity, joy, and lasting change in countless lives—including your own.

 

6. Is there a question that you wished we had asked but didn't? 

I also wanted to mention that I was and RA for three years and benefited from the financial support SRU provided to me as an RA.  And, one final memory that is one of my favorites, I was Homecoming King during my senior year!