Mrs. Amy Hannis-Miskar is currently the Principal at St. Jerome Regional School, where she began as Vice Principal in 2015 prior to her promotion in 2016. During her 20 year career in education, she has served as an Assistant Principal in the North Schuylkill School District from 2008-2015 and an elementary teacher in the Saint Clair Area School District from 2001-2008. She also has a vast amount of experience in athletics at many different levels as both a coach and an athlete.
For the past six years, through extraordinary leadership, Amy has overseen and implemented vast improvements at SJRS. She has used her knowledge to update the curriculum and advance the technology programs available for her students. The school now has a fully functioning STEM lab and weekly special classes like art, music, and physical education. Under her leadership, enrollment has increased over 100% and a new building was purchased for $1.2 million in 2018 by the Diocese of Allentown, to accommodate the school’s growth. In addition, she has created and implemented integral safety, wellness, and tuition policies. Since she has been principal, tuition income has increased by over 147% and all early education grade levels have doubled. Her commitment to Catholic education shows daily as she works effortlessly with her SJRS staff, students, Diocesan colleagues, Advisory Board, and Board of Pastors.
Mrs. Amy Hannis-Miskar graduated from Bloomsburg University in 2001, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Education. While completing her degree, Hannis-Miskar also played semi-professional basketball for the NWBL. Prior, she received a full athletic scholarship to Division I Charleston Southern University, after she finished her career at Mahanoy Area High School with 232 three-point field goals; scored over 2,000 career points, she led her team to a 98-10 record over her four-year participation. While at CSU, she was named to the Big South Conference All Rookie Team.
During her first year as a teacher at the Saint Clair Area School District, Amy was also a Graduate Assistant at Bloomsburg University working on her Master’s Degree in Education, with a concentration in Curriculum and Instruction. She earned that degree in just one year in 2002. During which time, she was the head girl’s basketball coach at Saint Clair Area Middle School in the fall of 2002 and the head boys’ 7th grade coach at Tamaqua Area Middle School during the winter of 2002-2003.
In 2003, made history as the first coach for the first women’s basketball program at Penn State Hazleton, since 1976. There, she spent three seasons as the Head Coach of the Penn State Hazleton Lady Lions. The very first season ended with some extremely impressive accomplishments, aside from having a winning record in the first season of play. Coach Hannis-Miskar’s team had eight of her players named to the CCAC All-Academic Team and six players named Academic All-American.
Continuing with the success of the inaugural season in 2003-2004, Coach Amy Hannis-Miskar led her Lady Lions in the 2004-2005 season straight to the championship game of the C.C.A.C. at the Bryce Jordan Center at University Park. They finished the regular season as the C.C.A.C. Regular Season Champions. Three players were named to the Academic All-Conference Team and three players were named to the All-Conference Team.
While teaching at Saint Clair and coaching at Penn State Hazleton, Amy also began working towards her principal’s certificate, which she completed at Bloomsburg University in the summer of 2006.
With her coaching leadership, she has also directed, attended and worked various basketball camps throughout the country. These camps include: Penn State Hazleton Basketball School, Pocono Invitational, Mt. St. Mary’s, International Sports Camps, Blue Chip, Blue Star, Saint Clair Area, and the prestigious Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Camp.
On a personal note, Amy is a member of Divine Mercy Parish in Shenandoah, PA. She resides in Frackville with her husband Nicholas and their three daughters; Brooke, Brielle, and Brynn.
Years in Education: 21 (14 in administration)
Bloomsburg University Principal’s Certification Program December 2006 Bloomsburg University Masters of Education (Curriculum and Instruction) August 2002 Bloomsburg University B.S. Elementary Education August 2001 Mahanoy Area High School 1997 Graduate