“A career unlike any other”: Mountainside Principal Cam Ammott’s passion for education
After nearly a decade of working as an elementary teacher in the classroom, Cam Ammott will be making the transition to administration for the 2020-21 School Year. He will be the new principal for Mountainside Elementary School.
Ammott grew up in Cache Valley and graduated from Sky View High School before attending Utah State University. Having great teachers and administrators throughout his life was what inspired Ammott to pursue a career in education. He hopes to have this same impact on the students he works with.
After completing his education, Ammott chose to come back to his home district to start his career and has been with CCSD ever since. He has worked with students at Lincoln and Greenville Elementary Schools. He hopes that students remember his classroom as a place they were excited to come each day.
Ammott believes that education is a career that is “unlike any other” because each year, he has the chance to start over with a clean slate. “Having the chance to have a positive influence on someone’s life is very powerful. I love leaving work each day with the hope that I made a difference in a student’s life that day.”
Soon after starting his career, Ammott discovered he didn’t just love teaching because of the students, but because of the incredible teacher teams he’s had the opportunity to be a part of. He said, “Teachers are some of the hardest working, most creative, and fun people on the planet.” He is excited to have the opportunity to continue working with both students and teachers as a principal.
Jennifer Wilkes, a teacher who worked with Ammott at Greenville Elementary, described him as a great team member, educator and friend that she will miss working with every day. “Cam never led with an ego or agenda — he just wanted to make a great experience for our students. He has an incredible talent for building rapport and relationships with his colleagues, students, and parents,” Wilkes said.
Although he is excited to see what the future holds as principal of Mountainside Elementary, deciding to leave the classroom was a tough decision for Ammott. “I loved getting to watch students’ growth first hand, both academically and emotionally. Ultimately, what helped me decide to make the change was the idea of working with more students, and more teachers,” he explained. “The role will be different but having the chance to positively impact more lives is very exciting to me.”
Congratulations, Mr. Ammott, and good luck as Mountainside’s new principal this year!