Walking up and down the hallways of Fillmore Elementary School, students, faculty and staff can feel the excitement Amanda Gibboney is bringing to the building.
The new principal is no stranger to the district or being a principal, as Gibboney previously served as principal at Eastern Greene Elementary School, and she has hit the ground running with the 2023-24 school year underway.
"I am really excited to be the principal at Fillmore Elementary School. Over the years, I've had opportunities to work with teachers and administration in the South Putnam school district and I spent some time working with Fillmore staff. I know that Fillmore is a special place and the families and students take great pride in their school and culture. I have always been impressed with the student first culture of Fillmore Elementary School. When the position of Principal became available, I knew that I wanted to be part of the Fillmore family," Gibboney told The Puntam County Post.
As for how she got into education, Gibboney admits it traces back to how she saw her children learning when they were in elementary school.
"When my kids were in elementary school, I volunteered and I enjoyed watching the different ways kids learn. I realized the impact that teachers can have on student learning and student growth socially and academically and this inspired me to become a teacher," Gibboney said.
With the school year underway, Gibboney said her goals for this year center around getting to know her students, staff and families.
"This will allow me to determine areas where I can best support our school family," Gibboney said.
She has already begun getting to know her staff as she is working on ways to support students in the areas of reading and STEM, she said.
"The staff at Fillmore are amazing and I've learned that they will do whatever it takes to set students up for success," Gibboney said.
That success extends outside the classroom, as Gibboney has been working alongside the PTO to support parent involvement in the schools.
"I'm so impressed with the support of our PTO and I know we will continue to work together to provide opportunities for families to stay involved in the school," Gibboney said.
And, she wants families to know her door is always open.
"I want families to feel comfortable reaching out to me at any time. Our students are most successful when families and the school have open lines of communication," Gibboney said.
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