Cleveland City Schools teacher, Amanda Osborne, was notified by Austin Peay State University that she has been accepted into the school’s Aspiring Assistant Principal (AAP) Program. Through this program, Mrs. Osborne will have the opportunity to earn a Master of Arts in Education tuition-free.
Earlier this year, The Tennessee Department of Education awarded Austin Peay State University’s Eriksson College of Education a $600,000 grant – the largest grant in that college’s history – to develop an innovative, jobembedded program for aspiring assistant principals.
The new year-long program, which is tuition-free for all participants, begins this month with a cohort of up to 100 teachers from East and West Tennessee. Individuals who successfully complete Austin Peay’s Aspiring Assistant Principal Program will earn a Master of Arts in Education (M.A.Ed.) degree with a concentration in Educational Leadership Studies.
Amanda Osborne, second grade teacher, said, “I am so excited for this opportunity from the Tennessee Department of Education and Austin Peay State University. It is an honor to have been selected by my school administration and district leaders for this program. I look forward to developing my abilities as a leader through the coursework as well as working closely with our amazing administrators at Blythe-Bower Elementary School.”
Mrs. Osborne continues, “We all know students learn best when they are able to practice the skills they are learning. This doesn’t end after graduation. The practical, hands-on approach to this job embedded program will result in a deeper level of understanding, bringing to the forefront, the true “Why” of education, our students.”
Mrs. Osborne’s principal, Prisavia Croft shared, “I am very honored to be a mentor Principal for Amanda. She has demonstrated leadership both in and out of the classroom. Amanda has been a teacher leader for the district and has led the Read to Be Ready summer program for two years. She will do well in this program.”
The AAP Program aims to develop exceptional leaders to guide schools across the state of Tennessee. We aim to understand the needs of our schools and districts and the latest in leadership research, and -- through our courses and coaching -- cultivate leaders who are able to build schools that foster joyful learning and success for all students.
Mrs. Osborne is “Thankful to our state leaders in seeing the importance of developing and supporting educators to become leaders in the ever changing field of education.”