Extraordinary Educators: Class of 2022

Join us in celebrating these Extraordinary Educators! Check out the information below to learn about these amazing educators and what they're doing to impact student learning.

What makes an Extraordinary Educator?
Curriculum Associates Extraordinary Educators in the teacher program:

  • Have taught for at least two years
  • Have experience using i-Ready® and/or Ready® in their classrooms
  • Illustrate growth and achievement via formal assessment(s)
  • Demonstrate classroom innovation and engagement practices for students
  • Are evangelists for high standards and student achievement
  • Are champions of equity

Curriculum Associates Extraordinary Educators in the Extraordinary Educators Leadership Collaborative:

  • Are principals in their first through third years in the role
  • Have experience using i-Ready and/or Ready
  • Illustrate growth and achievement via formal assessment(s)
  • Demonstrate schoolwide innovation and engagement practices for students
  • Are evangelists for high standards and student achievement
  • Are champions of equity

Class of 2022

Photo of Deborah Kean.

Deborah Kean, Teacher—Grade 1

Walnut Grove Elementary School, AL

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Safe, Supportive, Family

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.

Analyze! Analyze! Analyze! The i-Ready program provides reports that let me know the students' on-grade level strength areas and below-grade level struggle areas, so  I can assign Personalized Instruction in the program and during my whole class/small group lessons.

Jessica K. Medley, Teacher—Grade 8 Mathematics

South Girard School, AL

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Purposeful, Engaging, Dynamic

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect. My greatest fear is for students to be practicing a standard independently, incorrectly.  Through the use of the i-Ready data, the i-Ready individualized learning path, daily formative assessments, and intensive item analysis from classroom assessments, I am able to target specific standards with specific students in an attempt to prevent poor practice from occurring.

TWITTER

TaShara Caldwell, Teacher—Grade 5

Chalkville Elementary, AL

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Growth Mindset, Driven, Student Centered

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
I believe that data drives instruction. I use i-Ready data to help drive my instruction particularly in small groups, intervention, and review sessions. i-Ready data makes me more aware of the gaps in my students' learning so I may address those specific needs.

INSTAGRAM

Photo of Blakely Howell.

Blakely L. Howell, Teacher—Grade 5 Mathematics

Southwest Middle School, AR

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Nurturing, Challenging, Encouraging

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
I use the data from i-Ready My Path, the Diagnostic tests, and students' grades to form my Tier 2 and Tier 3 intervention groups. The students who are receiving these interventions are monitored using the data from the i-Ready Standards Mastery assessments and the i-Ready Growth Monitoring assessments (Tier 3 only).

Angela Keierleber, Teacher

U.S. Grant Elementary, CA

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Growth, Kindness, Fun

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
Data-driven instruction allows for targeted lessons that advance student learning. 

TWITTER

Baylee Gerges, Teacher—Grade 4

Boulder Ridge Elementary, CA

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Student Leaders, Proactive, Welcoming

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
Data-driven instruction is an approach that I use to inform my teaching. Through use of my professional learning community, I collaborate with other instructors on best practices.

INSTAGRAM

Lisa Liptak, Teacher—Grade 1

Annie Fisher STEM, CT

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Positive, Engaging, Happy

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
My sole purpose as an educator is to ensure that every student learns. By gathering and using the information that I collect, I am able to distinguish what a student has learned and what still needs to be learned. I use data to drive my instruction, fill in the gaps, and determine my next steps for instruction. The i-Ready program helps me see patterns in what kids are not understanding and individualize instruction. i-Ready has made it easier for me to dig deeper into my students' data and use it to ensure my students are receiving instruction at their academic level. Using data-driven instruction enables me to see what my students know, where the gaps are, and where I can adjust my instruction to meet their needs.

TWITTER

Georgianna Castellano, Teacher—Grade 3

B.C. Graham Elementary School, FL

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
We will SHINE!

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
Without data, it would be IMPOSSIBLE  to effectively plan lessons and be able to teach my students each day. Each of my students arrive in my classroom with different needs and abilities, so it is my responsibility to find out what they know, what they need, and how to help them to be successful and SHINE (Success Happens in Everyone) in all they do.

TWITTER

Photo of Daniella Parra.

Daniella Parra, Teacher—Grade 3 Mathematics

Aventura Waterways K–8 Center, FL

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Safe, Encouraging, Engaging

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
An administrator once said in a meeting, "Data by itself is useless. Data is only useful if you apply it." That stuck with me and is what guides me to make the best, most efficient use of data. i-Ready reports are awesome because of their very specific, detailed way of breaking down the student's strengths and struggles.

Photo of Jillian Johnson.

Jillian D. Johnson, Teacher

Andover Elementary School, FL

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
innovative, balanced, supportive

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
Instruction that is designed and customized to the learner's needs is essential for classroom success. The data collected from i-Ready is wonderfully accessible and effective in planning such instruction.

INSTAGRAM | TWITTER

Regina Hewlett Norman, Teacher

Liberty Point Elementary, GA

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Collaborative, Engaging, Rigorous

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
Using my i-Ready data allows me to meet the individual needs of my students. I am able to teach students in small groups using the scaffolded lessons as well as assign lessons to specific students based on their instructional needs.

TWITTER

Kerri L. Coleman-Benton, Teacher

Stonewall Tell Elementary, GA

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Inviting, Organized, Data Driven

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
I allow the data to drive my instruction. Based on the student's scores, I understand what I must teach and how it should be delivered to my students individually.

TWITTER

Photo of Corey Friis.

Corey Friis, Teacher—Grade 5

Mullan Trail Elementary, ID

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Relationships, Inquiry, Joy

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
If I don't know what students know, I cannot help them grow. Taking the time for myself to understand the data and communicate it to students makes us all stronger.

Photo of Benay Walker.

Benay Walker, Teacher—Special Education

Franklin Jefferson Special Education District, IL

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
All kids can!

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
Data is the heartbeat of my classroom!  As a special education teacher in a communication disorder classroom, I continually assess, analyze, and act. I collect and utilize multiple forms of data daily on every student in a unique way to guide further instruction and make informed decisions to propel each student to be the best version of themselves. i-Ready data is the foundation of ALL of my reading and math IEP goals.

Amy Penrod Spears, Teacher—Grade 8 Mathematics

Alton Middle School, IL

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Engaging, Student Focused, Fair

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
My instruction is always better when driven by student data. Because of my i-Ready Diagnostic scores, I know exactly what content I need to revisit before teaching new material.

INSTAGRAM

Jennifer Pastor, Teacher

Tioga Elementary School, LA

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Engaging, Encouraging, Persistent

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
Figuring out the "why" and "how" from data is key to using data-driven instruction to improve classroom teaching. My students and I take full advantage of i-Ready's collection of differentiated resources such as the built-in Center Activities, Enrichment Activities, Interactive Tutorials, Personalized Instruction, and Interactive Practice, based on the needs of individual students.

INSTAGRAM

Photo of Kate Mattoon.

Kate Mattoon, Teacher

St. Cecilia School and Academy, MO

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Community Driven, Student Centered, Rigorous

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
Every student deserves to be engaged with rigorous content scaffolded in a way that is appropriate for their current skill level and prior knowledge. Collecting data on student learning is essential to providing students just-right learning experiences. Without data, planning and teaching is little more than a guessing game about what students already know and what they need to learn.

Photo of Liska Wallace.

Liska Wallace, Teacher—Grade 7 Mathematics

Middle School of Poplarville, MS

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Trusting, Engaging,  Honest

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
Data is the engine that drives instruction. Student achievement is increased when valid data is interpreted to use when making instructional decisions.

Photo of Matthew Lambert.

Matthew Lambert, Teacher—Grade 5 ELA

Bell Academy, MS

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Together we learn.

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
In my classroom, I hold all students to a high level of expectation. However, not all students are on the same level. I use the data that is collected using Diagnostic assessments to set individual goals for students based on their performance levels.

Photo of Becki Cope.

Becki Cope, Teacher—Grade K

Pleasant Hill Elementary School, MS

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Structured, Collaborative, Engaging

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
 I use data to teach, reteach, reinforce, and enrich lessons based on student data. Student groups are fluid and change as data I receive changes.

Sharicka Gray, Teacher

Fairview Elementary School District, MS

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Open Minded, Fun, Engaging

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
"Be intentional, get a goal, and don't forget to reflect." You have to be intentional with your instruction, set a goal to know where you are going, and reflect on growth and necessary changes along the way.

INSTAGRAM

Rachael Jones, Teacher—Grade 7 Mathematics

Andrews Middle School, NC

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Rigorous relationship driven!

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
Data-driven instruction is the core of my teaching. I use i-Ready to help inform my daily lessons for whole class and small group. The reports are amazing and so helpful!

INSTAGRAM

Photo of Tracy Seitz.

Tracy Seitz, Teacher—Grade 4

Washington Street Elementary, NJ

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Be brave! (I know it is only two words, but it really is how we approach our day.)

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
If it will improve student performance in my classroom, then the data is valuable. Data-driven instruction is supported by the i-Ready platform and allows me to meet my students where they are.

Photo of Jennifer Seitz.

Jennifer Seitz, Teacher—Special Education

Yorkship Elementary School, NJ

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
Data is used to inform instruction. Without data, where would I go?  How would I teach?

Kimberly P. Rudolph, Teacher—Mathematics

Baldwin Middle School, NY

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Welcoming, Challenging, Active

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
Data-driven instruction is one piece of the puzzle to effectively drive instruction. I use the data and my own observations to design my lessons.

TWITTER

Hanna Grayson, Teacher—ELA

IS 318, NY

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Rigorous, Fun, Supportive

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
Data must drive instruction. i-Ready is so effective because it gives us a well-defined roadmap to lead our students on the path to success.

TWITTER

Gina Mastrogiacomo, Teacher

Public School 174, NY

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Purposeful, Engaging, Dynamic

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
My motto on data-driven instruction is, "It all begins with the data." Every year I use the initial i-Ready Diagnostic not only to assess the strengths and weaknesses of my students, but also to plan my instruction moving forward.

TWITTER

Brianna Lugibihl, Teacher—Grade 5 ELA and Social Studies

Liberty Arts Magnet, OH

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Engaging, Student Driven, Resilient

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
My motto on data-driven instruction is data only drives instruction when students are driving with us. Instruction is truly driven when students know where they are and know the next steps to achieve mastery, have a say in how they grow, chart their growth, and celebrate successes both individually and as a full class.

INSTAGRAM

Valerie Hitchings, Teacher—Grade K

Ridgedale Elementary School, OH

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Inviting, Encouraging, Positive

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
Every student enters the classroom with a different skill set. I use i-Ready data, as well as data from other programs that we use in our classroom, to drive my instruction to ensure that each student is receiving the level of learning that they specifically need.

INSTAGRAM

Megan Geise, Teacher—Grade 2; K–2 Mathematics Department Lead

Danville Primary School, PA

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Positive, Safe, Inclusive

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
i-Ready data drives my instruction. I look for trends in the data to help plan my whole class lessons and look at individual scores to help form small, guided math groups.

INSTAGRAM

Demetria Smith, Teacher

Bethel Grove Elementary, TN

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Students Learn from Mistakes, Student Engagement, Students Feel Safe

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
We as a class track and monitor our data. I believe that all students can show and maintain a level of growth despite their current learning levels. Students can show growth. Tracking data allows students to see how they are growing, which allows them to be aware of their individual progress.

INSTAGRAM

Mackenzie Leding Reed, Teacher—Grade 5 Mathematics and Science

Cane Ridge Elementary, TN

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Perseverance, Engaging, Understanding

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
Data-driven instruction helps guide teaching and learning. This instruction helps teachers know where students are and meets them there on top of knowing what standards to refine and reinforce.

TWITTER

Sarah English, Teacher—Grade 1

Monticello Elementary, UT

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Family, Laughter, Smiles

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
Data describes a moment in time, it’s not a whole kid. I use i-Ready beginning-, middle-, and end-of-year data to see how my kids have learned, to see where their holes are, to help me understand where they are at that moment.

INSTAGRAM

Photo of Tanya King.

Tanya King, Teacher—Grade 6 Mathematics

Beverly, WA

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
I am the captain of this ship and you are the crew—my job is to guide us, your job is to take us there. Knowledge + Control = Power! Sharing Diagnostic data with students and constructing a plan to grow based on said data provides students with the knowledge of where they are on the standards. Having them co-create the plan for growth gives them control over their learning. This results in students feeling empowered to construct their learning.

Zachary David Pfrimmer, Teacher

Liberty Elementary School, WA

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Growth Mindset, Family

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
Data is one starting point to guide instruction for academic needs. However, it is only valuable if it is actionable, consistently collected, and actually used to guide instruction.

TWITTER

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