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Welcome!Welcome! I’m Elizabeth Gurney, an experienced educator and aspiring school administrator passionate about cultivating thriving learning communities where every student is known, supported, and challenged to grow. Over the past two decades, I’ve built a career grounded in instructional leadership, data-informed decision-making, and relationship-driven school culture.
I’m committed to fostering equitable learning environments, empowering teachers through collaborative professional development, and strengthening family and community partnerships that support the whole child. My work reflects a belief in servant leadership, leading with empathy, clarity, and purpose to inspire engagement, innovation, and continuous improvement across every aspect of school life. This site highlights my leadership experiences, professional portfolio, and vision for student-centered education as I pursue my first permanent administrative position. Thank you for visiting and for sharing in my journey toward creating schools where joy, belonging, and excellence meet! |
Professional Recommendations
Fiona hill, internship mentor & Principal
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Cave Spring Middle School
"My overall assessment of Ms. Gurney is that she is capable and talented and that she will be an excellent school administrator in the future. As a professional, Ms. Gurney is always focused on the right priorities: serving the best interests of children and advancing teaching and learning. She has taken on leadership roles in her professional work experiences, working tirelessly to make students and programs successful. Ms. Gurney is an effective advocate for her students and for her own learning... I believe one of Ms. Gurney’s greatest strengths is that she is analytical; she approaches problems and challenges carefully, reflectively, and intentionally... In summary, I believe Ms. Gurney to be an outstanding professional educator and consider myself privileged to have played a small role in her administrative studies..." READ FULL RECOMMENDATION > |
megan potter, Head of School
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Roanoke Catholic School
"It is my distinct pleasure to write this letter of recommendation for Elizabeth Gurney, who served as Roanoke Catholic School’s Interim Director of Student Services during the final six weeks of the 2024-2025 school year. Elizabeth stepped into this role with confidence, grace, and an immediate sense of purpose. From her first day, she navigated the demands of the position with a calm professionalism and unwavering commitment. What set her apart, even beyond her organizational skill and leadership ability, was how clearly she was guided by her strong faith and deep love of Catholic education. Her decisions, interactions, and leadership style were consistently rooted in values that reflect the mission of our school. Elizabeth is a natural leader and a go-getter. She brings clarity, initiative, and heart to everything she does. She built trust quickly with students, families, and faculty, and brought both competence and compassion to her work. Her faith-informed leadership was not only effective, it was inspiring." READ FULL RECOMMENDATION > |
gemma booth, assistant head of school
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Roanoke Catholic School
"Elizabeth stepped into an interim role during one of the most demanding and stressful times of academic year, and she did so with remarkable competence, calm, and dedication. Although Elizabeth may not have previously served in an eductational administrative role, her extensive experience in other professional settings clearly translated into a strong and effective administrative presence. She quickly proved herself capable of managing complex tasks, supporting both faculty, staff and students, and maintaining a high standard of excellence in all that she was assigned. Elizabeth conducted herself with professionalism, compassion, and heart. Her care for our students was evident in every interaction, and she approached her responsibilities with the grace and presence of a natural educator. Over the past five weeks, I have witnessed her consistently complete her work to the highest standards, with thoughtfulness, attention to detail, and a level of finesse..." READ FULL RECOMMENDATION > |
Ellen vanden eykel, mentor teacher and colleague
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Roanoke Catholic School
"A dedicated teacher with enthusiasm and passion, Elizabeth is a joy to work with and inspires me to be a better teacher and leader myself. When we work together, I regularly witness Elizabeth’s passion for well-prepared lessons which engage and motivate students. And while Elizabeth was always well-prepared, she was also adept at handling the curve balls that frequently come our way as teachers. She was able to pivot when needed, and she always had a back up plan! Elizabeth’s presence at Roanoke Catholic School was life-giving to the students and the faculty. She was the source of community building among the staff, and she made sure we never went too long without a gathering. The students also enjoyed gathering with her, and they came to her for advice, support, and encouragement. While Elizabeth adds to her community in so many ways, I think her most exciting contributions at Roanoke Catholic School were our all-school events. Elizabeth has a way of polishing and adding life to large gatherings so they always feel professional and exciting. I saw this happen many times, including our all-school morning gatherings for Catholic School Week. Elizabeth brought energy to these large group meetings, and we had preschool through seniors joining together for fun and exciting pep-fests!" READ FULL RECOMMENDATION > |
PAUL BEGEMAN, COLLEAGUE
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Roanoke Catholic School/Our Lady of Nazareth
"Elizabeth is an outstanding candidate... Her teaching ability and knowledge of teaching methods is top notch. She has taught in both public and private schools and thus will be able to bring the best of both of these approaches to her work... In addition to her teaching ability Elizabeth is an outstanding leader... (She) is respected by parents, students, staff and faculty. She would provide instant credibility to the administration and would immediately set the school on a path to academic excellence. I was a teacher at Roanoke Catholic for over 15 years and can honestly say that Elizabeth is one of the best teachers and leaders with whom I have worked. She would be an asset for any program and has my unreserved recommendation..." READ FULL RECOMMENDATION > |
MICHAEL HEMPHILL, FORMER COLLEAGUE & STUDENT PARENT
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Roanoke Catholic School
"Elizabeth Gurney will make an ideal leader for a school... Her tenure as a Roanoke Catholic theology teacher was inspiring and engaged. She commanded the classroom with intellectual inquiry, commitment to Gospel values, discipline and, when needed, compassion. As the Middle School Youth Leader at Our Lady of Nazareth, she has a proven track record of fostering spiritual growth, building strong connections, and providing guidance to middle school students in the parish community. I am currently on a team led by Elizabeth that is coordinating a weekend retreat for Catholic high school students throughout western Virginia. She is organized, encouraging, and perhaps most importantly, authentic in her desire to enhance each person’s life. I look forward to seeing her in action as an administrator and leader..." READ FULL RECOMMENDATION > |
Dominick Mckee, principal
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Northside High School
"...From my initial meeting with Mrs. Gurney, and throughout the time I worked with her, I have been impressed with her initiative, determination, creativity, and ability to connect with all of her students. She has great classroom management, excellent organization skills, and creativity within her classroom. Mrs. Gurney is very creative within her classroom. For her German I and German III classes she set up multiple hands on activities for her students. She has high expectations of her students. Her students not only met those expectations but exceeded them in most cases. In the classroom she worked with 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th graders. Through all of these roles she exhibited an uncanny way to reach every student that crossed her path... The ability that she possesses to not only relate to these students but to educate these students speaks volumes to her character and the ability to build great rapport with these students so that they will work hard for her both inside and outside of the classroom. She is a passionate teacher that will always be student driven, student oriented, and will see the positive attributes in every student that walks into her classroom. Mrs. Gurney helped to continue the success of the best German program in Roanoke County". READ FULL RECOMMENDATION > |
Alan strecker, world language department head
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Northside High School
"As the department head of the World Language program here at Northside High School, I can attest that she cares immensely. The students simply loved her and I know why... I observed her class and noticed the way she differentiated her teaching and made the class come alive with excellent examples and fun learning techniques... She offered before and after school help and was a great asset to not only me and the World Language Department, but to the school. She is a team player who is always willing to put students first." READ FULL RECOMMENDATION > |
Tom creeden, principal
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Pennridge High School
"Elizabeth had very little time to prepare herself because we hired her after the school year had begun. Despite this lack of time she established herself as a teacher who demands that every student will learn in her classroom. She implements technology in to her lessons, and works tirelessly to develop learning activities that engage students to think beyond the textbook. Elizabeth worked with her students and communicated with parents in a very professional manner". READ FULL RECOMMENDATION > |
REBECCA WILDRICK, FOREIGN LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT HEAD
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Pennridge High School
"When Elizabeth came to us, she had not yet completed all of her course work, and had never done any student teaching. However, right from the beginning, you would have believed that she had been teaching for years. She is a very innovative teacher who plans creative and engaging activities for her classes. She is adored by her students and has a great deal of empathy and understanding for them. Elizabeth has always planned lessons which utilize technology, and has proven her ability to use it well and with ease. She is highly organized and her lesson plans are well structured. It is evident that she plans her lessons conscientiously." READ FULL RECOMMENDATION > |
Terry Kluck, Mentor TEACHER
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Newtown Middle School
"During the few months that she has been with us, I have witnessed tremendous growth and development beyond expectations. What impressed me most about Elizabeth was her talent as a teacher and her willingness to grow as a professional. There is no doubt in my mind that she possesses a keen insight into the needs of the middle school child and a fondness for her students. I have never had the pleasure of working with someone who has so much promise, talent, dedication and desire to grow and learn as Elizabeth has. She is an excellent teacher now and she will become a great teacher as time goes on". READ FULL RECOMMENDATION > |
Susan Duffy, German Teacher
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Fairfax County Schools
"Elizabeth has always immersed herself in the language and culture of Germany. While attending Clemson University, Elizabeth further revealed her passion for the German language and culture by studying for a year abroad. The knowledge and experience that she gained from this adventure will certainly assist her in her ability to teach the German language. From her experiences, she may bring the German culture and language to life for her students. I feel confident that Elizabeth’s love of the language will be reflected through her lessons. Elizabeth pursues any job with a sense of purpose and perseverance. She tackles each challenge with great enthusiasm". READ FULL RECOMMENDATION > |
Elizabeth Lunney, Owner, ABC LAnguage Exchange
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ABC Language Exchange
"Elizabeth is a hard worker and a dedicated team player. Whenever Elizabeth took on a task, no one ever doubted she would accomplish it masterfully. She is very detail-oriented and strives to do her best in everything she does. Mrs. Gurney is a loyal and hard-working employee who never complains and always strives to do her best. She has formidable strength of character and quickly demands the respect of those with whom she works." READ FULL RECOMMENDATION > |
DR. CANDIDA ANTONELLI, Professor and Student TEacher Supervisor
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Student Teacher Supervisor at St. Joseph University
"Elizabeth Gurney is the consummate professional. She possesses a true passion for the German language that she teaches. She does actively engage her students in every classroom setting while affording them the opportunity to achieve beyond their own expectations. Within her classroom settings, Elizabeth presents a variety of instructional techniques and strategies that encourage the development of each student’s critical thinking skills, problem solving skills, and performance skills. Elizabeth has a substantial understanding of the German language along with the many nuances that the language presents." READ FULL RECOMMENDATION > |
DR. JOHANNES SCHMIDT, PROFESSOR
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Clemson University
"What I valued highly about Elizabeth was her professionalism, seeking assistance only when absolutely needed, yet at the same time she was always present. Her academic work was as professional (she received all As in my classes), timely and thorough as her engagement outside of the classroom. Elizabeth is exceptional in several ways; here at Clemson she understood early on what it takes to become an expert in German. I know that she fully understands this new challenge and that she will respond to an offer by your school in a professional, skilled, knowledgeable and responsible manner". READ FULL RECOMMENDATION > |
Formal Observations
Dominick McKee, Principal, Northside High School Keith Godshall, Assistant Principal, Pennridge High School |
Tom Creeden, Principal, Pennridge High School Ray Ott, Assistant Principal, Pennridge High School Mr. Tim Long, Principal, Newtown Middle School |
