Welcome (or welcome back) to a new Potomac Local News series, “Meet the Principal.” With nearly two dozen new principals in Prince William County this school year, it’s important to get to know the folks in their new roles. Potomac Local has asked each principal the same questions in bold, and their respective answers will be found below.
Today, get to know Amanda Johnson, the new principal of The Nokesville School. Johnson has been a Prince William County Schools educator since the start of her career.
Why Prince William County, and why The Nokesville School?
How will you bring your experience as [specific experiences here] to your new role as principal in PWCS?I originally came to PWCS when I graduated college at Clarion University of Pennsylvania with a degree in elementary education. At that time, teaching jobs in Pennsylvania were hard to come by. I grew up visiting family in Remington and had always thought Virginia was beautiful. So, when I found a position at Nokesville Elementary School, I knew I had to take it and move down here. It felt so much like home 20 years ago, and it still does today as I return to Nokesville to begin my first year as principal of The Nokesville School.
I spent the first 11 years of my educational career in four schools across the division, first as a teacher and then as an assistant principal. Each school was unique and contained its own lessons that I learned as I moved through the experiences. I then served for seven years as the principal of Pennington Traditional School, giving me the opportunity to lead across two levels in a small, stable community. All of the roles I held in these schools have given me the foundation needed to lead a school that contains nine grade levels, 1,100+ students and an ever-growing community. Each school taught me the value of caring for the community you serve, which is exactly what I plan to do as the principal of The Nokesville School.
Are there any initiatives you hope to implement in your first year?Although we will not necessarily be implementing any new initiatives this school year beyond those being implemented divisionwide, we have recommitted ourselves to the foundation of The Nokesville School - Vision, Community, Excellence. This year, we are focusing on our vision, ensuring we take the time to notice our people and our community, and outlining our vision for the future that will connect us with our community and build on our excellence.
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