Amber Sheffler, NBTC

412 Abigail Avenue ♦ Waynesboro, PA 17268 ♦ C:717.360.3528 ♦ E-mail: shefflera@hotmail.com

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
Professional Experience:
Spanish Teacher, Nationally Board Certified Teacher (Grades 9 – 12)
South Hagerstown High School, Hagerstown, MD (August 2008 – Present)
 Advanced level Spanish teacher, teaching levels III, IV & AP Spanish Language & Culture
 Lead the World Language Department
 Demonstrate passion and enthusiasm for the Spanish language and culture
 Instill an appreciation for the language in its written and oral forms
 Effectively assess students’ abilities and select appropriate teaching strategies for individual
developmental levels; provide one-on-one as well as large and small group instruction
 Organize and sponsor the Spanish Club
 Create, implement, organize and advise the National Spanish Language Honor Society
 Chaperon international student trips
 Assistant Principal Fill-In during absence of AP for 6 weeks (October – November 2017)
Certified Spanish Praxis Rater
Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ (November 2013 – Present)
 Rate the writing and speaking portions of the Praxis level II exams for aspiring Spanish educators
 Evaluate the proficiency levels of Spanish teaching candidates as they take the complex standardized
testing process of the Praxis II
Spanish Teacher & Curriculum Writer (TRiO Upward Bound Program)
Hagerstown Community College, Hagerstown, MD (June 2013 – Present)
 Enriched students in the culture and language of Spanish
 Designed and developed compelling curriculum content, training materials/resources, training
modules, and teaching aids to supplement student learning.
 Encouraged student engagement by using teaching methods and intervention strategies rooted in a
skill-based or problem based approach
 Correlated and aligned Common Core State Standards with the new pre-college curricula
 Maintained a knowledge base of current educational issues and trends in the STEM fields of study,
research and implementing when appropriate
Education: Masters in Administration & Supervision – May 2015
Frostburg State University, Frostburg MD 21532
Bachelor of Science in Education – May 2003
Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, PA 17257
Certifications: PA & MD State, K – 12 Education – Spanish
PA State, 7 – 12 Education – English
Centro Maya de Idiomas University of Salamanca
Quetzaltenango, Guatemala – Summers 2007 & 2008 Salamanca, Spain – Summer 2002
Educational Skills:
 Coaching & Mentoring  Cultural Sensitivity  Student Assessment
 Spanish Education  Committee & In-Service Leadership  Standardized Testing/Scoring
 Innovative Curriculum Development  Parental Involvement  AP Spanish Training
 Lesson Planning  Creative Problem Solving  Fluency in Spanish
 Classroom Management  Classrooms for the Future  Diversity Training
 Mentoring & Motivation  iTeam (Technology Team)  Kinesthetic Coach
 Textbook Review & Selection  Hands-on Instruction  Critical Friends Coach
Selected Workshops: (complete list available upon request)
 Aspiring Leadership Workshop, networking with colleagues from around the state for professional growth and
development, MASSP Washington County Public Schools – Hagerstown, MD (2019)
 AP Spanish Language & Culture Exam Reader, rated the AP Spanish exams taken throughout the country,
College Board – Cincinnati, OH (2018 & 2019)
 WCPS Teacher Leadership, The Art of Coaching, a course designed to advance leadership coaching skills that
will increase performance and build relations with teachers, Washington County Public Schools – Hagerstown,
MD (2018)
 AP Council, Focus Spanish Language & Culture, a council designed to identify strong and weak skills among
students, create common assessment/activities and design curriculum accordingly, Washington County Public
Schools – Hagerstown, MD (2017)
 WCPS Coaching for Leaders, a course designed to advance leadership coaching skills that will increase
performance and build relations with teachers, Washington County Public Schools – Hagerstown, MD (2017)
 Northeast Conference for Teachers of Foreign Languages, a conference designed to educate teachers on the
best practices of teaching world languages, Hilton Midtown – New York City, NY (2017)
 Seal of Biliteracy, a taskforce designed to find out what the Seal of Biliteracy means for Washington County,
Washington County Board of Education – Hagerstown, MD (2016 & 2017)
 Diversity & Inclusion Workshop, MAXLIFE INC – Hagerstown, MD (2016)
 Spanish Immersion, Fall Conference, Maryland Foreign Language Association – Howard County Community
College, MD (2016)
 Enthusiastic Engagement, Spring Conference, Maryland Foreign Language Association – Baltimore, MD (2016)
 Energy + Movement = Instant Engagement, Spring Conference, Maryland Foreign Language Association –
Baltimore, MD (2016)
 Authentic Resource Implementation, Washington County Board of Education – Hagerstown, MD (2016)
 21st Century Leadership Workshops, a series of monthly sessions designed to advance school leaders in the new
movements and shifts of education, Washington County Board of Education – Hagerstown, MD (2015/2016)
 Writing Gems for the Common Core A & R Production – Hagerstown, MD (2015)
 Awaken the Sleeping Beauty in Text, A & R Production – Hagerstown, MD (2014)
 Through the Looking Glass into a Student-Centered Wonderland, A & R Production – Hagerstown, MD (2013)
 Interactive Language & Immersion Methodology, Middlebury University (2012)
 AVID Summer Institute, a weeklong event with various educational sessions – San Diego (2010 & 2011) and
Atlanta (2012)
 Disciplinary Literacy and World Language Strategies, Washington County Board of Education – Hagerstown,
MD (2010)
 Reading in a Foreign Language: Practical Strategies for Strengthening Your Students’ Reading Skills in the
Target Language, workshop hosted by the Bureau Education & Research – Hunt Valley, MD (2010)
 Critical Friends Group Training, a series of face-to-face workshops and sessions hosted by the National School
Reform where I became a Critical Friend Coach – Hagerstown, MD (2010)
 Learning by Doing Part 2: More Ideas to Add Spice Up Your Teaching, a Maryland State Department of
Education sponsored course with instructor Nancy Souders – Hagerstown, MD (2009)
 Technology Integration Training, a series of face-to-face workshops hosted by the Washington County Board of
Education – Hagerstown, MD (2009)
 Higher Order Questioning Training, Washington County Board of Education – Hagerstown, MD (2009)
 Learning by Doing: Kinesthetic Ideas to Add Spice Up Your Teaching, a Maryland State Department of Education
sponsored course with instructor Nancy Souders – Hagerstown, MD (2009)
 Teaching in the 21st Century: The Need for Change, a series of face-to-face workshops for the Maryland State
Department of Education, PA (2008)

Selected Presentations: (complete list available upon request)

 Escape Rooms = Engagement! Invited speaker / presenter for South Conference on Teaching Languages.
Mobile, Alamba (2019)
  School Improvement Plans. Invited presenter for staff of South Hagerstown High School. Hagerstown, MD (2019)
 Escape Rooms = Engagement! Invited speaker / presenter for Maryland Foreign Language Association.
McDaniel College, MD (2019)
 Northeast Conference for Teachers of Foreign Languages. Invited mentor for new teachers. Hilton Midtown –
New York City, NY (2019)
 Kinesthetic Learning Strategies and Movement in the Classroom – Part 2. Invited speaker / presenter. South
Hagerstown High School. Hagerstown, MD (2017)
 Learning By Doing: A Kinesthetic Approach. Invited speaker / presenter for Maryland Foreign Language
Association. Worcester Technical High School Newark, MD (2017)
 Authentic & Instructional Resources. Invited speaker / presenter. Washington County Public School World
Language Department. Hagerstown, MD (2016)
 Kinesthetic Learning Strategies and Movement in the Classroom. Invited speaker / presenter. South
Hagerstown High School. Hagerstown, MD (2016)
 Digital Literacy and Inclusion in the Classroom. Invited speaker / presenter. South Hagerstown High School.
Hagerstown, MD (2016)
 Data-Driven Decision Making. Invited speaker / presenter. South Hagerstown High School. Hagerstown, MD (2014)
 How to Grade Using Rubrics. Invited speaker / presenter. Washington County Public School World Language
Department. Hagerstown, MD (2013)
 Common Assessment / Planning. Invited speaker / presenter. Washington County Public School World
Language Department. Hagerstown, MD (2011)
 World Language Wiki Training. Invited speaker / presenter. Washington County Public School World Language
Department. Hagerstown, MD (2011)
 NSRF Connections & Consultancy Protocol. Invited presenter. South Hagerstown High School. Hagerstown, MD (2010)
 Textbook Exploration Training. Invited speaker / presenter. Washington County Board of Education.
Hagerstown, MD (2010)
 New Teacher Academy. Invited instructor to model best practices and authentic teaching. Washington County
Board of Education – Hagerstown, MD (2009 & 2012)
 Language in Motion: How to Get Students to Speak the Target Language in the Classroom. Invited speaker.
Juniata College, PA (2007 & 2008)
Study Abroad:
Guatemala
 Lived in Guatemala (summer of 2007 and summer of 2008) while fulfilling a teaching scholarship
awarded by Juniata College
 Studied Mayan religion and spirituality along with Mesoamerican archeology
 Experienced the Mayan lifestyle
 Developed a new understanding and passion for the Mesoamerican Ancient Civilizations while visiting
several ruin sites including: Tikal, Copán, Utatlán, Iximche, Zaculeu, Abaj Takalik, Mixco Viejo among others
Spain
 Lived in Spain for three months through a study abroad program and at other points throughout
 Achieved both a spoken and written fluency
 Gained a better understanding of the Hispanic culture in Spain
Travels: Spain, Portugal, France, England, Italy, Ireland, Morocco, Guatemala, México, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Honduras,
Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, St. Marteen, Bahamas, Aruba, Turks & Caicos, Cayman Islands Canada, within the
U.S. as well.
Professional Association Membership:
Washington County Teacher Association
Maryland Foreign Language Association
American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese
National Education Association
AP Spanish Language & Culture Teacher Community
 Maryland State Teachers Association
Spanish Club for Spanish Teachers – DC, Former Residence of the Ambassador of Spain
Awards / Honors:
 Mentor for Northeast Conference of Teaching Foreign Languages (2019)
 WeAreTeachers Top 10 Featured Influential Language Teachers (2019)
 Language Teacher of the Year finalist for the Northeast Conference of Teaching Foreign Languages (2017)
 Language Teacher of the Year for the state of Maryland (2016)
 Teacher of the Year Nominee for Washington County Public Schools (2011 & 2015)
 National Board Certified Teacher (2014)
 Cambridge’s Who’s Who Among Executive and Professional Women in teaching and Education (2007 / 2008)
 National Honor Rolls Outstanding American Teachers for Exceptional Performance in the Motivation and
Empowerment of Today’s Youth (2005/ 2006)

Community Service:
Michael’s Backpack Volunteer Breakfast with Santa
REACH food prep & pantry Bowl for Kid’s Sake
Salvation Army – Christmas Meal Deliverer Big Brother / Big Sister Program
Served food at the local Soup Kitchen School Chaperone
Trash Pickup for the local Sports Complex

References: Available upon request