How Amber Shelby Builds Connections and Lifts Others at Advantage Charter Academy
At Advantage Charter Academy, leadership isn’t about sitting behind a desk, it’s about stepping up, meeting people where they are, and supporting the team. Nobody exemplifies this mindset better than Amber Shelby, an Instructional Coach at Advantage and a 2025-26 winner of the National Heritage Academies® (NHA®) Excellence in Teaching Award. From her unconventional path into the classroom to her daily presence supporting educators across K–8, Amber’s story centers on connection, empathy, and service.
A Surprising, Emotional Celebration
Amber was caught off guard when she was named an Excellence in Teaching winner during one of Advantage’s monthly Moral Focus™ assemblies last spring. While celebrating sixth-grade math teacher Jyrain Page, a former paraprofessional in Amber’s own ELA class who became an award finalist, Amber was already teary-eyed with pride.
Moments later, a teacher she had been coaching took the microphone to announce the next recipient: Amber herself. Surrounded by cheering students, colleagues, and her family, Amber was overwhelmed with emotion.
"Everybody kept saying, 'I don't know how we pulled this off without you knowing, because I have my hand and foot in a little bit of everything around the school.' I was ugly crying in front of the entire school; it was totally worth it!"
Finding Her Calling in Education
Amber’s journey to education wasn't direct. Armed with a degree in fashion and business management, she was managing a business when she realized she needed a pivot. Driven by a passion for English and grammar, she explored charter school opportunities and joined Advantage Charter Academy, where she has served for nine years.
Over her tenure, Amber taught fifth through eighth-grade ELA, served as a literacy coach, and transitioned into her current role as an instructional coach. She also coaches volleyball at Advantage and manages an athletic organization outside of school, all while raising five children of her own.
"Making those connections outside of school, you get such a bigger buy-in from the kids. They come into the school the next day excited to be there and excited to learn. I just love making those relationships."
Coaching Through Compassion and Advocacy
Moving from teaching students to coaching adults brings unique challenges, but Amber maintains a key approach: keeping her "teacher hat" firmly on. As the sole instructional coach supporting K–8 teachers across subjects as varied as kindergarten math and middle school social studies, she focuses on trust, flexibility, and advocacy.
In her role, Amber places teacher advocacy at the forefront by protecting work-life balance during leadership planning, while prioritizing a relationship-first culture where staff feel heard and safe. She drives student success by celebrating incremental growth rather than just top grades and seamlessly embeds Moral Focus™ virtues, like compassion and wisdom, directly into daily conversations with staff and students alike.
"I think how successful I became in the role with the coaching is not taking my teacher hat off. If we're in a leadership meeting, I'm making sure we maintain that good work-life balance for our staff. I'm not coming in to sit and type up observations, it's a give-and-take."
"Kids have a hard time learning from people that they just don't like. If you build that relationship with them, it minimizes distractions, lessens behavior issues, and opens up room for genuine learning."
Seeing a Need, Filling a Need
Whether stepping into an art class to cover a room, listening to a student’s morning struggles at the front door, or offering teachers a ten-minute breather, Amber operates on a simple philosophy: See a need, fill a need.
When asked what she hopes her lasting legacy will be at Advantage Charter Academy, Amber kept it simple:
"I want everyone to know that they're safe with me, no matter what it is. Whatever you need me to do to help you be your best, let me know, and I'll do what I can."
Congratulations Amber Shelby on your Excellence in Teaching Award! Thank you for your dedication to Advantage Charter Academy's students, staff, and community.