Amy Sample has served as the principal of Saint Xavier High School, an all-boys non-public high school, since 2020. When Ms. Sample started as principal, the school was in the final year of constructing a new building. The Board approved her request to redesign classroom spaces into a learning support center for struggling students and students with learning differences. This space became the Viscusi Learning Support Center (VLSC), a resource that provides accommodations, assistance, and support to students in need. This initiative has played a vital role in helping students reach their full potential by offering a centralized location for support services.
Principal Sample’s vision for the school is to be a more inclusive community where every student feels valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential. Her unwavering dedication to this vision is evident in St. Xavier reaching out to some of the city’s poorest schools and creating scholarships for young men to attend the school. She created a program, Tigers Care, which helps families obtain iPads, school supplies/clothes, athletic fees, lunch, food for home, prom tickets, eyeglasses, and more. As a result of these efforts, the school’s diversity has increased from 7% to 13% in the last few years and is increasing still. The Black Student Union just finished their first year.
For student recognition, Principal Sample established the Tiger Tunnel, a fun activity where deserving students in academic, artistic, and athletic areas are celebrated by walking through a tunnel of cheering classmates. This occurs each quarter. Partnering with the Archdiocese of Louisville, St. Xavier also hosted ACCOMMODATE, a fair for any student with a learning disability in public or parochial high schools in the county to learn about the options for postsecondary education or trade school.
In addition, Principal Sample hired the first black assistant principal and the first black, female teacher. More teachers of Middle Eastern and Hispanic descent have been added as well. Principal Sample fosters a collaborative environment by actively seeking faculty input and involving them in decision-making processes. She facilitated the establishment of a Faculty Council to address school-related issues and implement recommendations. She introduced Understanding by Design to the faculty, promoting instructional improvement and students’ critical thinking skills. Her efforts to boost faculty morale, such as personal notes, incentives, and the weekly Friday Chat newsletter, have significantly improved the overall atmosphere of the school.
Principal Sample is an effective communicator and maintains an open door policy throughout the school. For example, she created a new format for “Principal e-news,” which is sent out weekly, even during the summer months. This is a way to keep parents informed, and which was especially needed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under Principal Sample’s leadership, Saint Xavier High School has experienced significant improvements across multiple areas. She has spearheaded critical enhancement initiatives, revamped organizational structures, and introduced innovative programs and services that have positively impacted students and staff alike. Through her visionary approach, she has created an inclusive, engaging, and dynamic learning environment at St. Xavier High School.