Amy C. Mason

Madison County Elementary School
Madison County Schools
Gurley, Alabama
amason@mcssk12.org

According to district superintendent Allen Perkins, Madison County Elementary School has become “more than just a school” under Amy Mason’s five years of leadership, describing the small pre-K-8 school as a “community learning center focused on meeting the needs of the whole child.” Mason’s leadership is guided by her commitment to championing professional learning, modeling positive culture, and cultivating community partnerships that expand programming and opportunity for all students. Mason took the helm at this high-poverty school as the third principal in just four years and quickly set out to address the root causes of widespread behavioral referrals that were inhibiting student growth and achievement. Emphasizing social-emotional wellness, Mason has successfully supported staff in moving from punitive to positive approaches to student engagement by introducing tools for positive reinforcement, evidence-based tiered strategies, shared language, and trauma-informed assessments, which together have led to reduced disciplinary action and sustained academic gains. A skilled fundraiser and relationship-builder, Mason has leveraged community resources to integrate STEM and the arts into the curriculum and create after-school and summer enrichment programming, a long-term mentorship program, an after-school haven called the Refuge, and a volunteer-driven literacy program that helps combat the school to prison pipeline. Mason holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from Purdue University and an M.S. in Educational Administration and Supervision from Johns Hopkins University.