I am thrilled and humbled to serve as the principal at Alex Sanger Preparatory. I was born and raised in Charlotte, N.C., where I attended public schools and graduated high school with the International Baccalaureate Diploma. I attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where I studied English and Spanish. After college, I taught upper elementary for six years at Trinity Episcopal School in Charlotte while working on my Master of Arts in Teaching degree at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Ready for a new adventure, I moved to Texas, where I continued to teach upper elementary for 3 more years at Barton Creek Elementary and enrolled in the Principalship Program at the University of Texas at Austin. After completing the program, I got my first school leadership position here at Alex Sanger Preparatory as assistant principal under Hector Martinez (now Executive Director of the Samuell High School Vertical Team). I believe that every single child in every single classroom deserves a great teacher -- not by chance, but by design.

I was born in Havana, Cuba, and my family immigrated to the United States when I was five years old. I am a proud product of bilingual education in Dallas ISD. I am a longtime resident of East Dallas and attended Bayles Elementary, Gaston Middle School, and Skyline High School!  I hold a Bachelor's of Science in Civil Engineering and a Bachelor's of Arts in Spanish from THE University of Texas at Austin. Hook ‘em, Horns! I did my graduate work at Southern Methodist University (SMU), where I earned a Masters of Bilingual Education in 2008 and returned 10 years later for a second Masters, this time in Education Policy and Leadership (in 2018). Pony up! I taught second through fifth grades for fifteen years, and then moved into leadership positions. I have served as a campus intervention specialist, testing coordinator, and assistant principal for the past six years. I love to learn and plan to begin my Ed.D. in the next few years. I am passionate about advocating for ALL students in ways that improve not only their academic outcomes, but also their lives. I am the proud momma of two terrific teenagers who are enrolled in Dallas ISD. My son and daughter are bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural! We enjoy going to concerts, plays, and sporting events and we especially love all types of travel (from road trips to traveling abroad). I am excited to be a part of the Sanger Family and to contribute to our vision of being the premier IB and DL campus in East Dallas.

I am excited to be part of the Stallion family! I am a life-long learner who is passionate about education. I believe in the value of education and its impact; consequently, I believe every student can learn and succeed. I have been in education for two decades. I was a middle school teacher for 15 plus years. My teaching years were (all) in Title I schools, where I had an exceptionally successful career as an award winning ELAR teacher with impressive student scores on state tests. I graduated cum laude from UT Arlington with a B.A. in Broadcast Communication and a Masters in Educational Leadership from Texas A&M Commerce. This is my fourth year as an administrator, and I am committed to adding value to the Sanger community. I am a mother to three beautiful children, and outside of work, I love spending time with my children and family, listening to music, reading, and trying new dishes at different restaurants. To quote Nelson Mandela, I (also) believe that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Hello, Sanger Students, Staff, and Families! My name is Amanda McDonald, and I am very proud to be the lower grade counselor at Alex Sanger Preparatory School. Alex Sanger is really special to me because I get to be a counselor at the very same school I attended. I am a proud product of Dallas ISD! I also attended Townview Magnet Center for high school. This is my thirteenth year in education, and this is my 5th year as a counselor. I received my B.A. from Prairie View A&M University in Interdisciplinary Studies and did my student teaching in Cypress, TX. I obtained my Masters Degree from Southern Methodist University in Counseling.

I'm fortunate to be part of Alex Sanger Preparatory as the middle school counselor this year. I have 21 years of experience in education, with a decade spent teaching middle school and another eleven years spanning elementary, middle, and high school counseling levels. My educational journey includes a bachelor's degree from Tarleton State University and a master's degree from Texas Christian University. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, gardening, and traveling. I look forward to building new relationships with my students, parents, and the school community.

Passionate about the transformative potential of education, my journey in the world of learning commenced in the heart of Cincinnati, Ohio. Early years at a Montessori school laid the foundation for a love of knowledge. Fast forward to the University of Cincinnati, where I discovered my passion in an Intro to Education class. Post-graduation, I wanted more support to be the teacher I strived to be, so I joined Teach for America and ended up in Dallas at an International Baccalaureate Elementary School. A commitment to continual growth got me involved in organizations such as Leadership for Educational Equity, Urban Leaders Fellowship, and Dallas Kids First, providing insights into the intersection of public policy and education. Seeking a broader perspective, I pursued a degree in Education Policy from Johns Hopkins University. I have a diverse teaching background spanning 5th, 6th, and 7th grades in Science, Math, and Reading Language Arts. Now, as the IB Coordinator at Sanger, I am enthusiastic about leading our school on its journey to becoming a premier IB institution. I believe in the profound impact of education to empower individuals and ignite positive change in our world. The wonderful community here assures me that together, we will champion Sanger's ascent to excellence in education.