Bowling Green Independent Schools announces the appointment of Dr. Amy Sample as Director of Instructional Programs. A well-respected leader in education, Dr. Sample most recently served as Principal, Senior Vice President, and Chief Operating Officer at Saint Xavier High School in Louisville, Kentucky.
Superintendent Gary Fields says, "I am confident that Dr. Sample's proven ability to lead collaboratively, support teachers, promote equity, and implement successful initiatives, will be invaluable in advancing the goals of BGISD."
During her tenure at Saint Xavier High School (2018-2025), Dr. Sample held roles as English Teacher and EXCEL Coordinator for Students with Diverse Learning Needs, Assistant Principal, and in 2020 became the first female principal in the all-boy school’s 162-year history.
As principal, she led a comprehensive curriculum redesign emphasizing skills-based learning, critical thinking, and real-world application. Her leadership also led to significantly increased student and staff diversity, culminating in the school winning a 2023 Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, focused on closing learning gaps. Dr. Sample was also recognized as a Terrel H. Bell Award recipient for Outstanding School Leadership as part of the 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools Program.
Prior to Saint Xavier, Dr. Sample was the Principal of Mercy Academy (2012-2018), where she led a curriculum redesign that incorporated performance-based assessments and a professional development program that advanced technology integration, service-learning, and student leadership. While principal, Mercy Academy earned designation as the first all-girls STEM school in the country.
As Director of Instruction for Bowling Green Independent Schools, Dr. Sample will oversee curriculum and resources for teachers, including standards alignment and reporting. Responsibilities will also include state and federal assessments, Multilingual Learner programming, professional learning, grants, and the district’s comprehensive improvement planning process.
Dr. Sample holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Secondary Education from Bellarmine University, a Master of Science in Education from Indiana University, an Educational Specialist degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Louisville, and a Doctor of Education degree from Spalding University with her dissertation: Voices of Black Female Teachers: Navigating Identity and Inclusion in Predominantly White Catholic Schools.
Welcome to BGISD, Dr. Amy Sample.