This past June, Jay became the principal of AmTech Career Academy in Amarillo, Texas, a $60 million renovation of an old Sears/Hastings facility. Tune in to hear about the inception story for this center and his vision for the future of Career and Technical Education in this community. 

Take a virtual tour of the campus here: https://youtu.be/c83_49bo1FI

Find out more about Jay's background and experiences in education and CTE below.

Educational Career

• Jay has 36 total years of experience in public education.
  
• He has been a principal at all levels in Amarillo ISD in Amarillo, Texas for 26 of those years.
  
• Principalships include:
  
  • Amarillo Area Center for Advanced Learning (AACAL), a STEM/CTE campus (2008-2021)
    
  • Travis Middle School (2000-2008)
    
  • Forest Hill Elementary School (1995-2000)
    
• Other administrative work:
  
  • Associate Principal, Palo Duro High School in Amarillo, Texas (1993-1995)
    
  • Assistant Principal, Tascosa High School in Amarillo, Texas (1991-1993)
    
• Before becoming an administrator, Jay taught English and coached tennis at Pampa High School in Pampa, Texas (1985-1991)
  
• Jay began his career in education by doing his student teaching in Rota, Spain, through the Department of Defense Dependents program.
  
• While at AACAL, Jay co-founded Gateway to Health Careers, a regional program that now trains over 600 students annually in 27 high schools in the 26,000 square miles of the rural panhandle of Texas.

Recent Awards

• 2019 HEB North Texas Secondary Principal of the Year
  
• 2019 Elbert K Fretwell Outstanding Educator of the year by the Golden Spread Council of Boy Scouts

Community Involvement

• Deacon, First Baptist Church
  
• Amarillo College Regent, Secretary of the Board of Regents
  
• Secretary, Community College Association of Texas Trustees Board of Directors
  
• Panhandle PBS Board of Directors
  
• Amarillo College Foundation Board of Directors
  
• Chamber of Commerce Governmental Advisory Council
  
• Amarillo Police Training Advisory Board
  
• WT Enterprise Center Board of Directors
  
• Panhandle Workforce Development Board of Directors, Executive Committee
  
• Amarillo Technology Initiative Board of Directors
  
• Golden Spread Council, Boy Scouts of America Board of Directors
  
• Maverick Boys' and Girls' Clubs in Amarillo Board of Directors