She may have moved down in the age group she’s working with, but Amy Turner’s new position at Waldon Middle School is a big move up the district ladder.
Turner, who formerly taught vocational business classes at Lake Orion High School for the past four years, is the new associate principal at Waldon, replacing Brian Kaplan who became the full-time principal at Orion Oaks Elementary this year. This is Turner’s first administrative position.
“When you’re teaching you get to impact the kids in your classroom, and in administration you can impact all the kids as well as the teachers,” said Turner. “I think it’s important to be a role model.”
Turner earned her undergraduate degree from Central Michigan University and worked for a year in her home town of Greenville, Michigan at the high school there. Through a professional organization, she was able to come in contact with a department head at Lake Orion Schools.
“She encouraged me to come and check it out and I fell in love with the place,” Turner said of LOHS.
In May of 2001, Turner earned a Master’s Degree in K-12 educational administration at Michigan State University, and completed an internship at Van Hoosen Middle School in Rochester.
“It did (K-12) purposefully,” said Turner. “I knew I wasn’t interested in elementary and I thoroughly enjoyed myself (at Van Hoosen). The kids are still excited (in middle school), they enjoy school.”
Turner, who lives in Rochester Hills, was at Van Hoosen for year, and said she has adapted well to her new position at Waldon.
“I’m enjoying it,” she said. “It’s something new everyday. You never know what will happen.
“The staff is very dedicated and enthusiastic…we had a rough start here with construction, but they just went on, business as usual,” Turner said. “That takes a strong person.”
Turner said she is still getting to know her new students.
“I’ve been tested (by the kids), and that’s OK,” she said. “There is a quote by Robert Greenleaf about administration that says ‘Leadership by servitude.’
“That’s really the job here. To serve the students, and faculty, and make their job easier.”
Turner said she hasn’t had enough time to start to miss being in the classroom although she does miss her co-workers at LOHS.
“I miss the relationships I formed at the high school,” she said.
When she has free time, Turner loves to read and bake. Her specialty are chocolate chip cookies. She is also planning a wedding with her fiance for next June.