October is National Principals Month
October is National Principals Month, which is a great time for the Arlington ISD to shine a spotlight on the outstanding principals the district has. We’re starting with a first-year principal who is a veteran of the district.
New Dunn Elementary School principal Amy Anderson has been with the Arlington ISD for 11 years now, serving as a teacher and student support interventionist before becoming the assistant principal at Ashworth Elementary School. After four years at Ashworth, she was named the principal at Dunn for the 2024-25 school year.
〉Has being a principal been what you thought it would be?
It has. Having those different roles in the district, all that experience in different classrooms and working with different teachers and students, all those experiences have prepared me for this. Of course, there are surprises every day. But yes, in general, it was what I was expecting and it’s wonderful.
〉How has it been replacing a long-time principal at Dunn [Mary Helen Burnett]?
Following a principal that was so well-loved and has been here for so long I think it was an incredible opportunity. The community here at Dunn is so strong. They just had that consistency for so long. There have been some changes, and change can be hard for a lot of different people, but just having that community feel that we’re all in this together. I think it’s a unique position coming in after someone has been here for so long. Everyone has been open to that. She finished really well in preparing everyone for that change. It’s been a fun adventure.
〉What’s been your favorite part about being a principal?
Just seeing those a-ha moments with students and teachers. When you see a student get it for the first time and they light up and they feel so proud of themselves. The same thing happens with teachers. When they’ve been struggling with something or they aren’t sure how they’re going to teach something, talking through that with them and they get an idea that lights them up because they get so excited and it’s going to help students succeed, I think that’s a big reward.
〉As an AP, you oversaw discipline, and as a principal you oversee everything. What has that adjustment been like?
I am so blessed to be coming from a school (Ashworth) where our leadership team was strongly aligned, so I feel like I had so many amazing growth opportunities before sitting in the principal’s seat that I really had the opportunity to get a lot of experience. Having it be me, I am the person, is an adjustment for sure. That’s something I’ve always felt as a teacher or AP that every kid in this building is important and belongs to me whether they were in my classroom or not. That still is true now that they really do belong to me.
〉What is the most important part of the job?
Just student success. I believe that every single student can succeed. It’s our job as adults in the building to help that happen. That weighs on me that every student deserves a chance to succeed. What we do every day with kids is so important from when they enter the door. All those experiences build on each other to help them achieve success. It’s all important, which can be hard but is really rewarding.