As students and faculty of CHS say their goodbyes to interim principal Teresa Johnson, they adjust to a new principal and new norms. Dr. Amy Goodloe officially assumed her role as principal on March 1.

“I am excited to see what Dr. Goodloe brings to this school,”  senior Kaavya Karthikeyan said. “I really enjoyed having her as my principal at Rocky Run; she was a very kind and caring principal.”

 Goodloe said her passion for teaching was inspired by her mother, who was also a teacher. Her love for learning and the environment of school sparked her career in education. In college, she initially focused on becoming a special education teacher, but always knew that her long term career goal was to become a principal. 

With 26 years of experience, Goodloe began her career as a teacher at Lees Corner Elementary School in 1996; she became the vice principal at Sangster Elementary School, moved to Oak Hill Elementary School to become principal, and was recently the principal of Rocky Run Middle School (RRMS).

“I think teaching has helped me as a principal because I have realized how important it is to listen to others, “ Goodloe said. “I learned that you should always ask questions but also be ready to hear the response and change your mindset accordingly.” 

Goodloe has transitioned to a high school environment along with her eighth graders at RRMS and has been working to adapt to a greater number of students. RRMS has a population of approximately 1,050 students, while CHS has a population of nearly 3,000 students. 

“Each level of school is very different,” Goodloe said. ”In high school, there are a lot more students and the outcome is usually graduation and career planning. The staff and teachers have the responsibility of preparing students for that next level. I would say the biggest difference is the needs of the students and my goal is to shift my focus.”

Goodloe is a community member herself who strongly believes that connecting with families is a crucial part of supporting her students. She frequently attends community outreach events to show her support for student activities and receive feedback from others. She has a daughter who is a senior at CHS and a son who will be a freshman next year. 

“Being a parent, I think engaging with other parents is a really important part of the job,” Goodloe said. “We as staff need to make sure that we’re partnered with the families of the students and be the whole package that the student needs to thrive. There are some built- in structures such as PTSA, but I think the most efficient way to be engaged with students and families is by making myself visible and open.” 

Along with communicating with families, Goodloe works closely with staff members, such as administrative assistant Sue McCallister. She often attends meetings with the staff to ensure that she is caught up and adjusted.

“Dr. Goodloe and I coordinate and have meetings to ensure that we are on the same page about issues and the ongoing events at Chantilly, ” McCallister said. “It’s the best thing we can do for the students.”

Goodloe looks forward to meeting all the students and settling into the new environment. She hopes to fulfill the needs of the students and contribute to helping the Chantilly community.

“I believe that principals have the ability to help students access the resources that they need and grow into independent adults,” Goodloe said. We get to make a difference in the community on a bigger scale and that is what drew me to becoming a principal.”