Amanda Fisher understands commitment.

And while the Ft. Davis Independent School District closed its campuses in March because of the coronavirus, Fisher is still dedicated to the task of educating a group of third graders at Dirks-Anderson Elementary School.

Fisher, who began her clinical teaching under the Sul Ross State University teacher education program in January, has worked closely with cooperating teacher Selena Martin in developing and distributing lesson plans to assist parents in educating their children during the current stay-at-home period.

The tasks begin on Mondays, when Fisher and two other teachers hand out the lessons to parents who stop by the school.

“Amanda is an excellent teacher who is highly prepared and organized,” said principal Allison Scott.  “Most of all, she has created positive relationships with students and staff.”

Prior to her arrival in West Texas, Fisher earned her undergraduate degree in Performance Music and Russian from DePauw University.  She then travelled to Poland and taught English for the next several years before returning to Indiana to pursue a Ph.D. in Russian Literature.

When her husband took a position at McDonald Observatory, Fisher decided to pursue her passion for teaching and enrolled in the post baccalaureate program at Sul Ross in 2019.

“At this point, faculty in the Education Department agree with the teachers and principal at Dirks-Anderson Elementary that it was our fortuitous opportunity to have Amanda enroll at Sul Ross and contribute so much to the Ft. Davis School District,” said Dr. Jeanne Qvarnstrom, Associate Professor of Education.

“We salute Amanda’s commitment to teaching and to our communities.”