
Amy
White,
associate
superintendent
for
human
resources
and
a
strong
advocate
for
listening
and
helping
others
find
their
voice
in
all
the
roles
she
has
held,
is
retiring
after
30
years
in
Prince
William
County
Public
Schools
(PWCS)
and
a
total
of
36
in
education.
Prior
to
becoming
associate
superintendent
for
human
resources
(HR)
in
2018,
White
served
as
the
director
of
HR
for
13
years.
During
her
tenure,
White
increased,
and
maintained,
Division-wide
customer
satisfaction
survey
ratings
from
the
middle
70-percent
range
to
the
high
90s.
She
built
a
team
of
employees
focused
on
customer
service
and
who,
she
says,
are
"hungry,
humble,
and
people
smart."
Prior
to
her
time
in
HR,
White
served
as
principal
of
Springwoods
Elementary
School,
was
assistant
principal
at
Triangle
Elementary
School,
an
instructional
support
team
coordinator
for
language
arts
and
science,
and
a
fifth-grade
teacher
at
Vaughan
Elementary
School
in
her
earliest
role
with
PWCS.
White
says
letting
kids
find
their
own
voice
is
what
writing
is
all
about.
A
grant
she
received
when
she
was
at
Vaughan
Elementary
lead
her
to
working
with
teachers,
helping
them
find
their
voices
as
well.
"I
was
happy
as
a
clam
raising
kids
[but]
I
just
fell
in
love
with
teaching,"
said
White.
"I
was
a
fifth-grade
teacher
for
nine
years
and
was
known
for
literacy,
language,
and
writing.
It
often
became
writing
again
when
I
started
working
with
teachers.
Then
when
I
became
principal
of
Springwoods
Elementary,
my
goal
was
to
enhance
literacy,
literacy
on
all
levels…and
I
would
talk
to
parents
and
say
'It's
not
just
reading
to
your
kids
that
will
make
a
difference
in
their
lives,
it's
the
quality
of
your
conversations,
that
we
listen
and
we
give
them
a
voice.'"
When
she
became
director
of
HR,
she
recalls
having
to
learn
a
whole
new
vocabulary,
new
processes,
and
to
tackle
a
perception
of
HR
that
was
very
different
than
what
she
was
used
to
as
a
principal.
She
began
by
listening
to
employees
and
reframing
her
department.
She
built
a
team
of
"trusted
advisors,"
helping
employees
navigate
the
rules
and
regulations,
the
employment
and
health
laws
and
processes,
and
providing
administrators
with
the
knowledge
to
assist
them
in
leading
their
employees.
One
of
White's
favorite
quotes
is
Colin
Powell's,
"Surround
yourself
with
people
who
work
hard
and
play
hard.
Who
take
their
work
seriously,
but
not
themselves."
"I
love
that,
and
I
hire
for
that,"
said
White.
"I
think
probably
I'm
known
a
lot
for
my
laughter.
You
have
to
be
able
to
laugh.
Nobody
knows
the
right
answers,
but
they
know
if
you're
giving
your
best,
they
know
if
you're
trying
hardest,
and
they
know
if
you
care
about
them.
I'm
the
luckiest
person
in
the
world
with
my
job.
I
got
to
do
this
for
30
years.
I
got
to
work
with
fabulous
people.
Dr.
Walts,
to
me,
is
such
a
man
of
integrity."
"From
the
very
first
time
I
sat
down
with
Principal
Amy
White
over
15
years
ago
at
Springwoods
Elementary,
a
blue
ribbon
school,
I
was
impressed,"
said
Superintendent
of
Schools,
Dr.
Steve
Walts.
"It
took
only
one
conversation
for
me
to
realize
the
best
place
for
her
talents
was
Human
Resources.
She
has
exceeded
my
expectations
from
the
day
she
stepped
into
the
director
position
to
the
day
of
her
retirement
as
the
associate
superintendent
for
Human
Resources!
Amy,
you
have
served
our
students
and
staff
in
an
exemplary
manner!
Job
well
done!"
In
reciprocal
admiration,
White
praised
Superintendent
Walts,
who
recently
announced
his
own
plans
to
retire
next
year,
for
leaving
behind
a
changed
School
Division,
one
that
is
held
to
a
high
standard
of
accountability
and
fairness,
and
one
in
which
he
is
loved
and
supported
for
his
intelligence,
skill,
humor,
and
resilience.
For
someone
who
thought
she
would
be
a
homemaker,
White
leaves
an
incredible
legacy,
as
is
demonstrated
through
the
many
accolades
and
words
of
appreciation
from
her
colleagues.
"I
am
sure
most
principals
who
have
worked
in
this
county
can
visualize
Amy
standing
in
front
of
our
meetings
challenging
us
to
do
the
right
work
because
EVERY
child
deserves
to
have
the
best
teacher
in
their
classroom,"
said
retired
School
Principal
Connie
Balkcom.
"While
Amy
may
think
that
we
willingly
joined
her
smaller
meetings
because
we
knew
she
would
bring
her
famous
chocolate
chip
cookies
or
even
apple
pie
if
the
season
was
right,
it
was
really
because
we
knew
she
would
challenge
us
to
think
about
processes
from
a
new
perspective
and
she
would
take
the
time
to
commend
us
for
doing
the
tough
work
and
having
those
hard
conversations.
Her
legacy
is
the
best
practice
of
every
leader
she
has
worked
with
in
her
years
in
PWCS."
"People
consistently
felt
heard,
respected,
and
informed
during
their
interactions
with
Amy,"
said
Pam
Mahone,
who
has
worked
for
White
in
HR
for
many
years.
"She
exemplified
intelligence,
empathy,
and
humor
in
all
that
she
did
for
HR.
Dr.
Donna
Eagle,
current
director
for
HR,
who
came
into
the
role
when
White
became
associate
superintendent
shared,
"Amy
has
been
my
best
(and
favorite)
boss
in
my
30-plus
year
career.
I
am
grateful
for
having
had
the
opportunity
to
work
side-by-side
with
her,
learning
so
much
from
just
watching
her
in
action.
Her
contagious
laugh,
warm
smile,
wit,
and
tremendous
institutional
knowledge
will
be
missed.
A
skillful
leader,
she
models
the
way,
inspires
a
shared
vision,
and
challenges
processes,
always
striving
to
make
things
better.
She
leads
with
passion
and
heart
and
has
always
kept
what
is
best
for
kids
as
her
North
Star
in
decision
making."
Congratulations,
Amy
White,
and
best
wishes
on
a
well-deserved
retirement.