Amy Rickard (A.B.Ed. ’94, M.S.A. ’00) talks teacher pay, achievement gap

Amy Rickard (A.B.Ed. ’94, M.S.A. ’00), who was named North Carolina’s National Distinguished Principal by the National Association of Elementary School Principals, gave her thoughts about what makes a good principal, pay for teachers and bridging the achievement gap in a Q&A with the Chapel Hill News.

Rickard is principal at Morris Grove Elementary School in Chapel Hill. In January she was named the Wells Fargo Piedmont-Triad/Central Region Principal of the Year after being named Principal of the Year for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools.

In an interview with the Chapel Hill News, Rickard said she works to create positive conditions for learning and to support teachers by making time for them to collaborate on instruction.

Rickard, who has served as principal at Morris Grove before it opened in 2008, started her career as a language arts teacher in Kannapolis. She signed on with Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools in 1999 as an administrative intern. After time spent as an assistant principal at both McDougle Elementary and Rashkis Elementary, Rickard served as principal of Glenwood Elementary from 2004-2007.

Rickard earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Carolina’s School of Education, where she has served on the Alumni Council.