March 7, 2025
Gilbert Intermediate Principal Amy Griffin would be telling a fib if she said she didn’t want to win the School Administrators of Iowa (SAI) Elementary Principal of the Year award. Of course she wanted to win. But at the end of the day, the work she and her team did and continue to do that led to her status as a finalist for the honor is reward enough.
“This isn’t about me,” Principal Griffin said. “This is a 1,000-piece puzzle that makes us function … we’ve got a great framework and system in place at Gilbert Intermediate and in the Gilbert Community School District where every student’s voice is heard and I think that’s what makes what we do so top-notch.”
Please help us congratulate Principal Griffin for being named one of four statewide finalists for the prestigious award. She learned she had been nominated for the honor in May of 2024 and then spent the summer months completing the application process, which included an extensive résumé, letters of reference, and an educational essay on a predetermined topic.
“It was fun to go back through memory lane a little bit, back to when I started in 2006,” Principal Griffin said. “Just looking at how I’ve grown as a person, how I’ve grown professionally, and all of the people who have had a positive impact on my career.”
Principal Griffin learned she had been named one of the four finalists in late February. A final interview took place earlier this week.
On Thursday, SAI announced that Jayme Braida, the principal at Columbus Elementary with the Chariton Community School District, had been named the Elementary School Principal of the Year.
Principal Griffin says she’s happy for Ms. Braida and all of the administrators across the state who were nominated.
“I don’t know anybody in education that gives their all just to be recognized, but it does feel good when it’s noticed,” Principal Griffin said. “I am so glad (SAI) does this. Public education needs to be promoted and there are so many great people in our state and across the country doing great things for kids every day.”
A graduate of Iowa State University (undergraduate) and the University of Northern Iowa (graduate), Principal Griffin has 19 years of experience in education, including the last 13 with Gilbert CSD. Her career began as a teacher at Webster City Middle School, and she also had stints at Phillips Middle School and Fair Oaks Middle School in Fort Dodge prior to her arrival at Gilbert.
A member of SAI and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), Principal Griffin played a leading role in implementing the 7 Habits of High Effective People and Leader in Me at Gilbert Intermediate. This past fall, Gilbert Intermediate became one of only 25 schools across Iowa to be certified as a Leader in Me Lighthouse School.
Gilbert CSD Superintendent Dr. Christine Trujillo says the district is fortunate to have Principal Griffin as one of its leaders because of her dedication to the betterment of all students.
“Amy leads with servant leadership heart, alway putting the needs of students first and inspiring them to reach their full potential,” Dr. Trujillo said. “With a clear vision for student leadership and voice, she creates opportunities for students to take initiative, be leaders, and make a meaningful impact in their school and their community.”
