Samantha Pomplon |
Assistant Principal and International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme Coordinator |
Mercy High School
Samantha Pomplon champions academic excellence and global awareness for 445 Mercy High School girls in grades 9-12 as Assistant Principal and IB MYP Coordinator. Samantha joined the Mercy faculty in 2017 as an English teacher. Highly regarded by her students, parents, and colleagues, she stepped into academic leadership at the start of the 2021-22 school year. A cum laude graduate in elementary education and human and organizational development at Vanderbilt University, Samantha also holds an M.A. in curriculum and instruction for social justice from Loyola University Maryland. As a lifelong learner herself, Samantha is currently pursuing her post-master’s certificate in administration and supervision from Loyola University Maryland. Samantha brings her own global perspective to her work at Mercy, having studied abroad as an undergraduate in Cape Town, South Africa, and served in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps as a high school teacher in Pohnpei, Micronesia.
WHAT DISTINGUISHES YOUR SCHOOL FROM OTHER INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS?
One of the distinguishing features of Mercy High School is our implementation of the International Baccalaureate Programme. All of our 9th and 10th grade students are part of the IB Middle Years Programme and we are a candidate school for the Diploma Programme, which will be offered to 11th and 12th graders. Our classes are designed to actively engage students in the process of constructing interdisciplinary, concept-based understandings, through collaboration and creative projects that challenge their thinking. Our students are equipped with skills to be independent learners, which they demonstrate through their sophomore year capstone Personal Project. The IB’s focus on global understanding and service is a natural fit for our school’s mission, which is grounded in the values of the Sisters of Mercy.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU OFFER A STUDENT CONSIDERING A CAREER IN EDUCATION?
A career in education is so much more than a job. It involves a dedication to lifelong learning, a commitment to the well-being of others, and a belief that you can help to make the world a better place. I would recommend to students considering this career that they start getting experience working with children as soon as they can.
I took advantage of many different volunteering opportunities throughout high school and college, which helped me to determine with which age group I worked best and the area of education that brought me the most joy. It’s important to find where your natural strengths and interests can best be of service, while still finding opportunities to challenge yourself to grow. If your heart feels a call to this field, you will be rewarded with a strong sense of purpose in the work that you do.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE IN YOUR ROLE?
This is an exciting time for Mercy High School and I feel proud to be a part of a strong academic leadership team that is moving our school forward. As we continue to grow the International Baccalaureate Programme at Mercy, I am hoping to guide our teachers and students in becoming even more immersed in the IB approaches to learning and teaching. While we anticipate offering the Diploma Programme in the near future, we are working hard to set up our students for success through the design of our curriculum. Additionally, over the past few years, especially coming out of the pandemic, a sense of community is more important than ever. One of my priorities is helping both our staff and students to feel a strong connection to the Mercy mission and to each other.
This article is part of the 2023-2024 Guide to Baltimore Independent Schools.
