amberg_160916_133rI have over 25 years of experience working in public education. Currently, I am an elementary magnet school principal, improving student achievement by working with stakeholders to create a collaborative culture of teaching and learning—a Professional Learning Community-serving each child, each day.

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

  • Strategic leadership for developing relationships
  • Strong communication skills, including diplomacy
  • Successful building of collaborative cultures to promote student achievement

Professional Experience

Elementary Principal
Saluda River Academy for the Arts – Lexington School District Two (2006 to Current)
Summary: I work with faculty to improve student learning and achievement by
creating a Professional Learning Community in an arts-focused magnet elementary school. This empowers faculty to focus on specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, timely goals across the school. The school has embraced a collaborative, student-centered culture that fully integrates the arts. In 2009, we were one of only five schools in the nation to receive the Kennedy Center Schools of Distinction Award.

  • Collaborate with stakeholders to empower and promote student
    achievement
  • Analyze school data to make informed instructional decisions and plan
    relevant professional development
  • Promote the school’s arts components statewide including Dance,
    Music, Theatre, and Music

Elementary Assistant Principal
Saluda River Academy for the Arts – Lexington School District Two (2001  2006)
Summary: Worked with faculty to create exciting, differentiated instruction that yielded high student achievement as the school’s demographics became more diverse. As a result, Saluda River Academy for the Arts was recognized as a Nationally Distinguished Title I School.

  • Promoted implementation of best practices designed to strengthen classroom instruction and assessment
  • Developed strategies for improved instruction and assessment based on analysis and disaggregation of school data
  • Ensured the security of test administration as School Testing Coordinator

Teacher Specialist On-Site
South Carolina Department of Education – Lee County Schools (1999  2000)
Summary: I worked with faculty to provide year-long, job-embedded professional development. This included developing a mini-conference with break-out sessions for teachers.

  • Encouraged strategic instruction through co-teaching, demonstration lessons, and professional development
  • Assisted teachers in identifying and purchasing standards-based materials and curriculum resources
  • Worked in partnership with principal and teachers to reflect on practice

Education

Master of Education: Educational Administration
University of South Carolina

Bachelor of Arts: Early Childhood Education
Columbia College

Professional Affiliations

  • American Association of School Personnel Administrators (AASPA)
  • Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
  • South Carolina Association of School Administrators (SCASA)
  • National Education Association (NEA)
  • Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)

Honors

  • 2017 South Carolina Arts Administrator of the Year
  • 2016 South Carolina School Boards Association Conference, Arts Unlimited
  • 2012 Palmetto Silver School Award
  • 2010 Resolutions from South Carolina Senate and Lexington County Council
  • 2009 John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Schools of Distinction
  • 2004 Nationally Distinguished Title I School Award
  • 2003 Palmetto Gold School Award
  • 1998 Teacher of the Year

Interests

When I am not working, I enjoy reading, listening to music, photography, and traveling to new places.  I have traveled to Hawaii, the United Kingdom, Germany, South Africa, Norway, and Belgium.