Amber Wilson has been hired as the new principal for Watonga Elementary School. Former principal Ashley Riley left to take over as principal at another school.
Wilson and her husband, Kirk, also an educator, are originally from Binger, and Amber Wilson said they are excited to be in the Watonga community. Kirk Wilson will serve as the athletic director for Watonga High School.
Principal Wilson said there are several things she is glad to see at Watonga. One is the new STEM lab that is being launched in the former elementary cafeteria space. “It is so important to keep kids engaged,” she said while speaking to the Watonga Kiwanis club. The hands-on nature of a STEM lab – science, technology, engineering and math – will offer that engagement.
The elementary is working on training as a professional learning community, a collaborative method of sharing and encouraging successful teaching practices. The middle school was recognized last year as having earned the PLC designation, one of only eight in Oklahoma thus far.
Wilson said she was impressed with the Watonga campuses. The buildings and facilities compare favorably to others she has seen, even at the college level. She encouraged the community to come out and walk through the buildings to see the improvements that have been made recently.
“We have great facilities, and I can see it (the school system) really growing,” she said.
Wilson has a wealth of experience under her belt, serving at Anadarko, Weatherford and Riverside Indian School – a residential school among others. She started at Riverside as a teacher and moved up to elementary principal, then became superintendent before coming back to public education.
There are about 370 students at Watonga Elementary School.