Meet the Principal

Hello! I am Amanda Erickson and I am thrilled to be the principal of Terreton Elementary and West Jefferson Junior High. I was born and raised in Mud Lake as the eldest of the eight children of Lynn and Kaylene Burtenshaw. I attended kindergarten through twelfth grade in the West Jefferson School District, serving as student body president in both Junior High and High School. I also participated in Youth Legislature, FHA (now FCCLA), sports, drama, and I served as one of the Panther mascots my Sophomore through Senior years. In the summer following my junior year, I was elected Idaho’s Governor at the American Legion Auxiliary’s Girls State (a mock government program). I served in various leadership capacities in the Girls State program for the next 22 years, retiring when I was hired at West Jefferson High School as the Drama Director! I also won scholarships and travel opportunities through the VFW Voice of Democracy program and the American National CattleWomen’s Beef Ambassador program. I genuinely appreciate the opportunity that WJ students have to participate in ALL the things they wish to because we are a small school and all the programs need all the kids. And ALL the teachers support ALL kids!

I attended Utah State University on a full tuition Presidential Scholarship and received a B.S. in Speech Communication, or, as my husband, Dean, likes to call it: a B.S. in B.S.  After USU, I attended the University of Montana on a teaching fellowship in Communication Studies, returning from there to teach courses in Conflict Management, Interpersonal Communication, and Environmental Rhetoric at USU for a year for one of my previous professors on sabbatical. Following that, I worked as an Admission Counselor and event coordinator for The College of Idaho. There I learned that, in big-stakes scholarships, colleges weigh the test scores from college entrance exams over GPA and leadership. This is part of the reason I strongly advocate for explicitly teaching our students test-taking skills instead of complaining about testing. State standardized exams allow students to practice for college entrance and professional licensing exams. They also provide a valid, reliable means for checking whether our educational efforts are working, where we are succeeding, and where we can improve. 

While working at the College of Idaho, my husband and I had the opportunity to adopt our first son, Jason. Six years later, while we were operating the Mud Lake Market, Jason began to pray for siblings…and we welcomed FOUR MORE children all at once! Tianna, Chris, Brandon, and Ellie have been welcome additions to our family.  Over the years we have provided foster care for a few different children, making me even more grateful for the opportunity that I had to be raised by such amazing parents and community members here in WJ.

After closing Mud Lake Market, I was so grateful to secure a position teaching English Language Arts at West Jefferson Junior High. I loved my years teaching and will miss that portion of my career. I’m grateful that I have been permitted to retain my role as Theatre Director for the Junior High and High School and am SO grateful for our amazing theatre staff that helps students reach high quality performances. 

As principal, I am concerned about the apathy and absenteeism that has crept upon schools in the wake of Covid-19. I believe that we are still catching up from that experience. I will work with our AMAZING staff and students to continue to build a culture that celebrates learning, attendance, and even birthdays!  I will encourage teachers and staff to find opportunities to build a community of care within their classrooms. I will encourage fidelity to our world-class curriculums. I will approach student discipline from a learning and restoration of community perspective. I will do my very best to champion the worthwhile causes and support the students, staff, and community I have loved for a lifetime. 

See you in the halls!  

Amanda B. Erickson