Clarksdale Collegiate Public Charter School, Executive Director

Amanda J. A. Johnson is the Founder and Executive Director of Clarksdale Collegiate Public Charter School, a college preparatory school that opened in July 2018 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Clarksdale Collegiate was the first charter school to open in the Mississippi Delta and currently serves 450 scholars in K-5th grade and is authorized to grow to serve 675 scholars in K-8th grade.

Amanda earned her B.A. in Political Science from Rhodes College in Memphis, TN and began her career as an educator with Teach For America in 2003. She taught second grade in the Delta region of Arkansas for three years. Next, she taught sixth grade at KIPP Delta College Preparatory School. Two years later, Amanda completed a Masters in Educational Leadership from National-Louis University in Chicago, IL and founded and led KIPP Delta Elementary Literacy Academy (KIPP Delta ELA) for four years. After leading KIPP Delta ELA, she spent two years co-leading the Fisher Fellowship with the KIPP Foundation and spent a year and a half as Director of Curriculum and Instruction for KIPP Delta Public Schools. Amanda completed the Building Excellent Schools Fellowship in preparation to open Clarksdale Collegiate Public Charter School and is currently seeking an EdD in Learning and Organizational Change from Baylor University in Waco, TX.

Amanda was initiated into Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated in Spring 2004 through the Helena Alumnae Chapter. She has been a member of Clarksdale-Marks Alumnae Chapter for the past 7 years. She has served as the Social Action Chair and Jabberwock Chair for two years and has represented the chapter at Delta Days at the MS State Capitol. Her chapter awarded her a Community Trailblazer award in education in 2020.

Amanda is an active member in the community as an educational leader and leads Clarksdale’s only active Girl Scout Troop #30302. She uses her experience as a Girl Scout Gold Award recipient, the highest honor a Girl Scout can receive, to lead the 60 member Girl Scout Troop. She also serves on the board of Spring Initiative and Southern Bancorp Community Partners. Amanda was named Citizen of the Year in 2020 by the Iota Omicron Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

On a personal note, Amanda is married to Sanford Johnson and has two fierce daughters, Lorelei and Ava Jae.

Leadership, Alphabetical

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