Every once in a while, a school makes a hire that changes the game. As a school leader these moments can feel like your favorite sports team just signed the best player in the game. Not a rising star, but the very best in the game. I often refer to it as capturing a unicorn, because there is simply no other person as good as this one.
It’s the kind of thing that signals ambition and clarity of vision. Something that makes people pause and say: “oh, they’re serious.”
Today, I’m thrilled to share one of those moments with you. After three months of deep conversations, whiteboard sessions, and honest reflection, we have hired Mr. William “Bill” Vincent as our Founding Director of Engineering.
This is not just a leadership hire. This is a program-defining signing.
From the very beginning Bill made it clear how unmistakably he loves the work itself. He is constantly in pursuit of better learning experiences for kids and his work has transformed lives. Don’t take my word for it, hear it from one of his former students, Anna:
“His program transformed my high school experience... I fell in love with being a designer and engineer in his classes. Any student should take them, even if it's just about working in teams and projects. It is something very unique to any other high school experience.”
Anna J. –
Former PLTW Student
Duke Engineering Student
Educators like Bill are rare.Leaders like Bill are rarer.People who combine technical excellence, creativity, humility, and a relentless commitment to students? That’s a unicorn.
Bill approaches teaching engineering with imagination, passion, and a deep respect for the people doing the work. He doesn’t design for students, he designs with them in mind, asking how learning can be more authentic, more joyful, and more meaningful.
It perfectly captures who Bill is: thoughtful, creative, and completely centered on kids. As another one of his former students said:
“Mr. Vincent is such a champion of engineering. I have never had a teacher so passionate for not only what he is teaching but also every student he teaches. He is simply an awesome teacher.”
-Margaret S.
Former PLTW Engineering Student
Current Engineering Student at Virginia Tech
As our Founding Director of Engineering, Mr. Vincent will:
- Build and lead a world-class engineering program from the ground up
- Design learning experiences that feel real, rigorous, and deeply engaging
- Partner with teachers, families, and local organizations to ensure engineering is not just a subject, but a mindset
I want to be clear: this hire reflects exactly where we’re headed as a school. We are not interested in incremental improvement. We are building something exceptional that requires leaders who are willing to imagine what could be, not just maintain what already exists.
We didn’t just fill a role. We raised the ceiling.
Let’s build the future together.