Many of you already know the returning Greeley West assistant principals: Mrs. Amy Zulauf and Mr. Aaron Allen, and Mr. Ryan Hilbig.  But many of you may not know that Greeley West has a new assistant principal this year.

The new assistant principal, Ms. Amanda Jones, has just begun her first year at Greeley West  and Brentwood Middle School. Many of you might be wondering who this new assistant principal is, or why she chose Greeley West?

Jones was happy to share about herself to the Greeley West community.

“I’m an optimistic extrovert. I have three super cute little kiddos who fuel my love for all things Disney, reading, and playing. I also love SPORTS! I was a track and field athlete at CSU and love to do anything outside. Fun fact: I’ve thrown the first pitch at a Rockies game and it was incredible,” Jones said. 

So, why Greeley West? Jones said, “For the past few years, I’ve heard about Greeley West and that it’s a special place for staff and student culture. As a Dean of Students in Fort Collins, I got the opportunity to work with a more diverse population of students, and quickly knew it was what I wanted to do for the rest of my career.”

It is apparent that Jones is passionate about teaching and being a part of such a great school, full of various cultures and backgrounds. She will enjoy working with the staff and students at Greeley West.

Knowing Jones works as an assistant principal at Greeley West and Brentwood, one might wonder what it would be like working in two different environments. How challenging would it be to adjust to not just one, but two new schools? What most people would consider being a negative situation Jones sees as an opportunity.

“One of my favorite quotes by Thomas Edison is ‘Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.’ When I learned that I was going to be in two buildings, I knew I had the choice to be disappointed and upset, or to see it as an opportunity to learn and make new connections: I chose the latter. I’ll be real with you: it’s difficult to learn two new cultures, systems, staffs, and students. However, I am grateful for the opportunity to see parallels between middle and high school and to learn from two incredible administrative staffs,” Jones explained.

She shows how people need to see the light in every situation, especially in these uncertain times.

Now that she’s been working at the school for a few months, here are a few things that Ms. Jones has come to love about it. “Hands-down the tone and culture in the building! The Spartan spirit is tangible when you walk through the halls and talk to staff. Building school culture is my passion and I love that our staff and students are proud to be at West,” Jones said.