Meet Amber Lee, Principal, Ivybrook Academy-Dublin
What has your experience been in education and with children?
When I was ten years old, I created my own real-life version of the “Babysitters Club” and played “school” with my younger brother at home. I graduated from high school thinking I wanted to be an elementary school teacher just like my parents. I had a true passion for helping children succeed and believe in themselves, as this was something I struggled with as a kid, as many do - trying to find themselves. Half-way through my undergraduate days at Miami University, I decided I wanted to go into school social work to help students who needed more support socially and emotionally. I went on and received a Master’s degree in school social work from OSU and spent the next eleven years working with children and adolescents within the school and hospital setting, advocating for their rights, teaching them social-emotional skills, and providing resources for them and their families. I also have spent time as a nanny for some amazing young kiddos and families that have become a huge part of my life and journey over the past few years! I am grateful for every young person that shared their story with me, as I learned that every child has an innate strength within them that is waiting to be discovered. I am passionately driven to lead the families, students, and educators at Ivybrook Academy in Dublin with this at the forefront of our mission.
What inspired you to want to be an administrator at Ivybrook Academy?
When the idea of Ivybrook was presented to me, and with my background in school social work, I was curious to know more about what social and emotional pieces were tied into the curriculum knowing how critical the first few years are for young people in their development. After visiting Ivybrook campuses in North Carolina, I was excited to learn that this was a curriculum built to recognize the individual strengths and needs of each child and truly was a culture built on focusing on the social and emotional needs of a child first in order to account for academic discovery. I have advocated for students’ emotional needs to be met first in order for academic progress to occur and I will continue to help meet the needs of each child and build a foundation for learning. I believe in the Ivybrook curriculum to help meet these needs and am elated that there is a program to help navigate this world at such a young age so our children are prepared for Kindergarten and beyond!
What are you looking forward to most in your role at Ivybrook?
I am looking forward to many things as my role as principal at Ivybrook, but the thing that I’m looking forward to the most is developing relationships with our students and families. Relationships are what make a “job” become a “home” for me. I have always had memorable relationships with educators in my past as a student myself. In turn, I have had many positive relationships with the children and families that I’ve worked with in my previous career setting. Human relationships are so important for a young persons’ social and emotional development and this is something that I’ve always prioritized as a professional. I am looking forward to connecting with our students, families, and educators at Ivybrook and can’t wait to create memories with our entire Ivybrook family that will last a lifetime!
What do you do for fun?
I love binging on Netflix and the worst reality TV shows, going to concerts, decorating (which includes many trips to HomeGoods), spoiling my pup, trying new restaurants, baking, trying to keep my plants alive, and helping others in any way that I can. I have also coached volleyball for about ten years and love doing, as well!
