Dr. Valerie Nyberg named new Ames High School Principal

The Ames Community School District is excited to announce Dr. Valerie Nyberg as the new principal of Ames High School. Dr. Nyberg is currently the Associate Principal at George Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, a position she has held since 2013. 

As an associate principal in Cedar Rapids, Nyberg has experience in both curriculum and instruction as well as buildings and grounds. She was responsible for the evaluation of certified staff, development of the master schedule, and directly supported multiple departments such as English, special education, and Career/Technical Education, among others. As associate principal of building and grounds, she attended weekly construction meetings and worked closely with various departments to ensure that instructional programming was not compromised during construction. In her role as associate principal of curriculum and instruction, she worked diligently to ensure that students have multiple pathways open to them and this required working closely with special education teachers. 

In her cover letter to the District, Nyberg expressed that her main impetus for becoming an educator stemmed from her “desire to make the path wider for students of color and other students who experienced difficulties in their educational careers.” She helped develop an equity team that oversaw the implementation of staff professional development that included components such as student access to Advanced Placement (AP) classes, data review, implicit bias, and cultural competence training. This experience aligns with the District’s commitment to equity and will be crucial as the District addresses gaps in achievement and access at Ames High based on data from its recent equity audit. 

Nyberg received her Doctorate in Teaching and Learning from the University of Iowa in 2012. In 2019, she was honored as the Assistant Secondary Principal of the Year by School Administrators of Iowa. 

Earlier this week, Nyberg visited Ames as a finalist for the position and participated in an all-day interview that included a variety of stakeholders including building teachers, district administrators, parents, and students. Candidates also toured Ames High and ended their day in a public forum. Nyberg’s contract will begin on July 1, 2020, pending school board approval. As a District, we are excited to begin working with Dr. Nyberg and look forward to her leadership and vast knowledge that she will bring to the Ames Community School District.