Her Story
About Amy
Amy Buffington serves as Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Social Studies and Humanities in Pennsylvania. With 25 years in education, she supports nearly 900 teachers across nine buildings and 10 content areas by providing resources and occasionally presenting in classrooms. She also leads ESL programs and implemented a K-12 STEAM integration initiative that earned her a national STEAM award from the School Boards Association. Buffington recently completed the superintendent's program at King's College and is preparing to obtain her Superintendent's Letter of Eligibility. She belongs to the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators and contributed to more than 30 America 250 Pennsylvania events last year. Buffington attributes her success to hard work and continuous growth, emphasizing the importance of communication, honesty, and building strong relationships while learning to delegate and maintain better work-life balance.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Amy
01What do you attribute your success to?
My success comes from working hard, sometimes too hard. I am a work in progress who continues to grow and learn, using tools like AI and delegation to improve. I have learned to say no and take more time for myself, friends, and family, though I keep getting new responsibilities.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
A friend gave me a sign in my office that says your present situation is not your final destination. The best is yet to come. This helps during difficult conversations or when facing big challenges.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Education is hard, so know that going in. Find the path that you're passionate about and where you can have the most impact. Watch and learn to see what you like and where you can be the most impactful, whether with students, teachers, or families, and take it from there.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges in education are the significant national teacher shortage, with fewer people going into the field, and keeping up with technology like AI because schools cannot pay what tech companies do, making it hard to find and retain talent with tech knowledge. Digital citizenship for kids is also tough due to phones, AI chatbots, and online dangers.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Communication and honesty are most important. It is not always easy, but being honest with people, even when I cannot share everything, builds trust because people appreciate knowing the truth rather than being lied to or strung along.
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