By Kenneth Books
If anyone understands what Niceville High School is all about, it’s Amy Meyer.
Meyer was named principal of the school at an April 27 meeting of the school district, creating a circle of responsibility and success that began when she was a student at the high school. She succeeds Charlie Marello, who was named Director of Human Resources for the district. She was formerly the principal of Niceville Elementary.
“(Administration) is something I thought I would never do because I liked teaching,” Meyer, 54, said. But, she added, serving as principal enabled her to have a bigger impact than teaching. “I love the relationships I can build with so many people and offer guidance and perspectives,” she said. The only thing about administration that she could do without is “the paperwork and emails. I always want to be able to communicate with people.”
Meyer began her years in the classroom as a math teacher, serving special needs children at Valparaiso Elementary School before moving to Niceville High. She earned her bachelor of arts in psychology and master of arts in educational leadership from the University of West Florida after her family moved back to the area with her Air Force father. Education is a family affair as well, as her husband, Grant, serves as assistant superintendent of operations for the district. She also has two grown sons, Hayden and Harley.
“I always wanted to be a teacher,” she said, “starting with elementary and then high school. It doesn’t matter the age of the kids. They’re all the same. When I was teaching here I recognized some kids I knew from elementary school. It was really cool to see how far they had come. It really changed my perspective. I realized everyone can grow and learn because there’s so much potential in all of us.”
While she enjoys this aspect of her career, Meyer looks back fondly of her days in the classroom. “The best part of teaching is reaching the kids who really didn’t want to be there,” she said, “and trying to motivate them to want to succeed. I want to help all of them.”
And sometimes the youngsters who didn’t want to be there eventually appreciated her mentorship. “I love hearing form kids who say, ‘Hey, I did that because you taught me,” she said. “I had one who hated school. She was smart, but unmotivated. But eventually, she went to Troy and got her RN degree. “Kids often don’t know what they want to do, but need to find their passion.”
What does the future hold for Meyer? “I hope to stay here and finish my career,” she said. “I hope to leave the school better than when I found it. I want everyone when they come here to feel welcome and invited. I want people to know I’m happy here and I want to be an open door.”
