Camden Central School District -

The Camden Central School District is pleased to announce the promotion of Mrs. Amanda Mitchell to the role of principal at Camden Elementary School. The appointment was approved by the Board of Education at its meeting on May 13th, 2025, and will take effect this summer.

Mitchell will step in for Craig Ferretti, who is set to retire at the end of June. She is finishing up her third school year with the District, all of them as Camden Elementary School’s assistant principal.

“This opportunity means everything,” Mitchell said. “Craig has been an amazing leader. He has really shown me the path and has given me the tools I need in my toolkit. That’s not to say I won’t be calling him or some of my other colleagues because I certainly don’t know everything. I’m always learning, and within the building, everyone is learning all the time. I’m thrilled to receive this opportunity after a lot of hard work, and I plan on using that opportunity for good.”

When she first arrived in 2022, Mitchell was taking a major step in her own career as a first-time administrator in a completely new locale. She spent the previous fifteen years teaching in the Rome City School District. What she found in Camden was a place to call home.

“I was nervous then,” Mitchell said. “But it’s the best leap of faith I've ever taken because I’ve truly found a home here in Camden with the people, the community, the students. It’s where I want to be. It’s where I want to finish my career if I'm lucky enough. I’ve seen so much growth and potential in the District and it’s where I plan to stay.”

Over the last three years, Mitchell has played a crucial role in the implementation of the District’s strategic plan. She has also taken the lead in rolling out successful attendance initiatives that have reduced chronic absenteeism at Camden Elementary School by eleven percent compared to the 2023-24 school year. She is keen to continue that progress on attendance and other areas through a collaborative approach between herself, staff, and families.

“This is always and forever a team effort between parents, students, staff, teachers, and administration,” she said. “There have been so many things that I’m lucky to have worked on, but it’s always going to be a team effort.”

As she takes the reins, her overall approach will focus on continuing the work happening at Camden Elementary School, while also chasing some higher aspirations.

“I want to continue some of the wonderful things we’re doing,” she said. “I think our staff puts student and family relationships first and that’s how we’re always going to do that. It always has to come back to those stakeholders, including our kids. They are the ones we’re here for. So if we keep them and our goals in mind, we’ll be successful. If we’re looking ahead, our friends at McConnellsville have done such a great job getting to Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase School status recently, and I think Camden Elementary is a National Showcase School too. We’ll get there. And I’d like to see us raise that banner high because I know people here care about our kids, and we care about making sure they’re ready to go beyond here.”

As for Mitchell’s current role, the District has looked internally to fill that vacancy. Camden High School assistant principal Dr. William Snyder is set to become Camden Elementary’s assistant principal, and Mitchell is excited about the possibilities.

“I’m excited for him to come back to his roots in elementary education,” Mitchell said. “He’s going to bring a lot of great things to the table for us, including some things from the high school that can help our students and staff understand what an ideal graduate looks like, and what these kids may need and what we can cultivate here to help them. And he’s another one that has always said that if he’s lucky enough to retire at Camden, then he’s had a great career. And I kind of take that note from him.”

Prior to her work with the Rome City School District, Mitchell received dual undergraduate degrees from SUNY Geneseo while playing on the women’s basketball and field hockey teams. She later received her Master’s in literacy education from SUNY Cortland. She grew up and attended school in Canastota.

Mitchell is a mother of three children, all of whom are enrolled in the District. They attend seventh grade, kindergarten, and first grade, and have been enjoying the Camden experience just as their mom has.

“They love it here just as much as I do,” she said.