East Juniata principal is not really a new face
Sherman embraces high school role
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COCOLAMUS -- When Amy Sherman walked through the doors of East Juniata High School in Cocolamus as its new principal this fall, she wasn’t stepping into unfamiliar territory.
After more than two decades in the Juniata County School District, Sherman already knew many of the students, families and staff who would now make up her school community. From teaching sixth-grade science and math at Tuscarora Junior High School in Mifflintown to kindergarten and elementary classrooms across the district and most recently serving seven years as assistant principal at Juniata Elementary School in Mifflintown, her journey has touched nearly every corner of Juniata County education.
Now, Sherman is leading East Juniata High School, bringing with her a familiar face, a wealth of district experience and a passion for building relationships with students.
“The transition has been easier than I expected,” Sherman said. “A mentor and friend told me, ‘It’s still school and they are still kids, just taller!'”
That perspective has helped as she adjusts from elementary education to the secondary level. While some responsibilities are different, students remain at the heart of the job.
Sherman credits part of the smooth transition to her long history on the eastern side of the district. Before her time at Juniata Elementary, she worked at Monroe Elementary, Susquehanna Township Elementary and East Juniata Elementary School, allowing her to reconnect with familiar faces.
“Because I had worked on the East end of the district for many years previous to my time at Juniata, I was already familiar with many teachers and families of students whose siblings I may have had as students years ago,” Sherman said. “It’s been really nice reconnecting with those colleagues and families. I think that has helped in the transition, as well. I’m not an entirely new face.”
Becoming a principal was not always part of Sherman’s career plan.
“I always knew that I wanted to be an elementary school teacher,” she shared. “The idea of becoming an administrator didn’t cross my mind until I had spent many years in the classroom.”
After about 15 years of teaching, she decided administration would allow her to make a broader impact.
“I wanted to try making a more global impact on students and families by becoming a school administrator,” Sherman said.
Her favorite part of the new role remains the same thing she enjoyed throughout her education career: connecting with students.
“The best parts of my day are the conversations that I get to have with the students,” she said. “I love getting to know them and really enjoy hearing about their future plans post-graduation.”
Like any new position, the move has brought challenges. Sherman said there is plenty to learn about the unique demands of a junior-senior high school.
“The biggest challenge is learning the high school-specific things that are either really different from the way it’s done in elementary or isn’t something that is done in elementary, such as scheduling, graduation requirements, athletics and other secondary-level responsibilities,” she explained.
Sherman’s career with the district began in October 2004 as a sixth-grade science and math teacher at Tuscarora Junior High School. She moved to Monroe Elementary the following year to teach kindergarten before transferring to Susquehanna Township Elementary, where she taught kindergarten for several years and later second grade during the school’s final year of operation.
Following the district’s elementary transitions and eventual consolidation, Sherman taught multiple grade levels at Monroe and later fifth grade at East Juniata Elementary School. In April 2019, she became assistant principal at Juniata Elementary School, a role she held for seven years before accepting her current position as principal at East Juniata High School in August.
While her title has changed, Sherman views her mission much the same as it has always been: helping students grow and preparing them for the future.
Juniata County School District Superintendent of Schools Christie Holderman believes Sherman is the perfect fit for the position.
"We are thrilled to welcome Amy Sherman as the new principal at East Juniata High School," Holderman said. "Having served as a dedicated assistant principal at JES for seven years, Amy brings extensive experience, stability and strong leadership to the school. We are excited for the positive impact she will continue to make for our students, staff, and community in this new role."
And thanks to years spent teaching and leading in Juniata County, many of the students and families she now serves already know the person standing in the principal’s office.