Profile: Sichel ’75 Leads National Association

Superintendent of Abington School District, Montgomery County, Pa., Amy Silverstein Sichel ’75 is serving as president of American Association of School Administrators for 2013–14. The organization includes more than 13,000 educational leaders here and abroad.

“I had my initial experience in the fi eld of education and psychology at Lafayette. This foundation was extremely instrumental as I forged ahead in my career,” says Sichel, a psychology graduate who earned a Ph.D. from University of Pennsylvania. “I remember with great fondness my adviser Dr. Burt Cohen, who encouraged me to pursue a Ph.D. in school psychology. His mentorship and guidance were key ingredients for me and exemplify what Lafayette offers its students.”

“As AASA president, I will continue to be a strong advocate for superintendents and school administrators as well as for high-quality public schools. We need to support reforms that improve educational opportunities for all students and promote innovative accountability systems,” says Sichel, who will continue the AASA effort to lobby Congress to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (now called No Child Left Behind Act).

She’s also committed to the association’s recently launched National Superintendent Certification Program, in which 25 aspiring superintendents are learning successful leadership methods.

Sichel was named Pennsylvania Superintendent of the Year in 2010 and served as president of Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators in 2010–11. She has been an adjunct associate professor at University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education since 1981 and is currently an adjunct instructor at Delaware Valley College.