Extraordinary Educators: Class of 2024

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

Extraordinary Educator Teacher Class of 2024

Lindsey Greer.

Lindsey Greer, Teacher

Phenix City Intermediate School, AL

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Compassionate, Rigorous, Safe

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

I thrive on data! I use the Diagnostic data to form my groups and see what I need to work with individual students on. I use the Typical and Stretch goals to set goals with individuals and with the entire class to push students to be the best they can be.

TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

Sherri Jackson.

Sherri Jackson, Grade 1 Teacher

McRae Elementary, AR

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

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

I believe all students can learn math, and data tells me where to start. This is evident in my classroom when I analyze my students' progress toward learning targets, skills, and standards, and use the information to determine what to do next.

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Heidi McKnight.

Heidi McKnight, Reading Specialist

Kenilworth Elementary School, AZ

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Inspiring, Inclusive, Innovative

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

Implementing data-driven instruction is the means to fulfill my motto's promise: using the detailed data from i-Ready assessments, personal pathways, and Teacher-Assigned Lessons allows me to tailor instruction to meet students' individual needs and collaborate with my colleagues in fulfilling this mission.

Ana SanMarchi.

Ana SanMarchi, Mathematics Intervention Specialist

Kenilworth Elementary, AZ

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Collaborative, Engaging, Growth Mindset

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

My motto is that data-driven instruction is a roadmap for effective teaching and learning. I utilize i-Ready to deliver high-quality lessons, provide Personalized Instruction, and use the Diagnostic data to empower, guide, and enhance each student's educational journey.

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Terri Stillson.

Terri Stillson, Grades K–6 Reading Intervention Teacher

Castaic Elementary School, CA

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

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

Data-driven instruction is essential in order for educators to meet our students where they are and then base our instruction on helping each of them continue to make growth on their academic journey. I use the i-Ready data provided by the Diagnostics to determine which students for each grade level come to me for intervention and also to create my small groups, and I use the Teacher Toolbox, next steps, and lesson paths while planning my lessons.

Da'Jhon Jett.

Da'Jhon Jett, Teacher

Augusta Lewis Troup School, CT

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Inclusion, Growth, Trust

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

Data-driven instruction provides the method to meet state expectations while effectively driving students' master learning, thus, allowing stakeholders with an objective point of reference for understanding the student's performance.

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Kelly Rossetti.

Kelly Rossetti, Grade 2 Teacher

Hazardville Memorial School, CT

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Flexible, Inclusive, Supportive

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

To me, data is a celebration of learning—it shows me what is working in my teaching, but more importantly, it motivates my students to take ownership of their learning. I utilize i-Ready to identify areas of strength and set individualized goals for where to support each student next. Data-driven instruction helps me target my teaching and move students forward, which helps them see and celebrate their growth in the next round of data.

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Thamar Polynice, Grade 4 English Language Arts (ELA) Teacher

Walker Jones Education Campus, DC

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Warm, Student-Led/Driven, Innovative

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

Using data from i-Ready, exit tickets, homework, etc. allows me to zoom in on the smaller individual needs of each student. I believe those small pushes are what makes a student truly thrive.

LaTanya Arias.

LaTanya Arias, Interventionist/ESOL Instructor/Title I Instructor

Kingsland Elementary School, GA

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Loving, Welcoming, Equitable

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

My motto regarding data-driven instruction is that without it, I am striking at the wind and aimlessly teaching. Relying on i-Ready data and other data sources allows me to be successful, purposeful, and intentional in meeting the needs of each of my students.

Leigh Ann Norris.

Leigh Ann Norris, Grade 6 Mathematics Teacher

Hamilton County High School, FL

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Engaging, Energetic, Inclusive

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

My data-driven instruction is my SUPER POWER! Be an i-Ready HERO! (i.e., High Expectations, Real Outcomes)

TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

Adriana Garcia.

Adriana Garcia, Grade 5 Teacher

Somerset Academy, St. Lucie, FL

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Inclusive, Respectful, Collaborative

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

My motto is to "empower education with informed insights" by using i-Ready data, FAST assessment data, progress monitoring tests, and informal assessment of students to decide what I am doing in the classroom. Data guides what I do daily in my differentiated small groups.

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Thomas J Bussey.

Thomas J. Bussey, Grade 5 Teacher

Hapeville Elementary School, GA

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

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

My motto on data-driven instruction is: "Every data point tells a story." I leverage a combination of data, including insights from i-Ready, and my personal experiences in building relationships with each student to determine the most effective path for helping them master grade-level standards.

TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

Christy Washington.

Christy Washington, Teacher

Hogansville Elementary School, GA

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Purposeful, Challenging, Positive

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

Data drives every instructional decision I make in my classroom. Prerequisites reports help me know where to begin instruction, and student performance on Teacher-Assigned Lessons and Comprehension Checks—combined with teacher observation—tell me how that instruction is going.

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Lauren Howe.

Lauren Howe, Teacher

Calhoun Middle School, LA

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Positive, Engaged, Collaborative

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

If teachers want their students to make gains and progress, they must utilize data-driven instruction so that students are mastering skills and being prepared for future learning.  i-Ready provides me with data that I use in my classroom to implement intervention and enrichment activities so that my learners continue to move forward in their learning process.

Nikki Torres.

Nikki Torres, Grade 4 Mathematics Teacher

Valverda Elementary, LA

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Inclusivity, Collaboration, Respect

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

Using baseline data to meet students at their individual needs to ensure they all have an equal opportunity to grow and meet or exceed their goal. I have my students particpate in the beginning-of-the-year Diagnostic during the first week of school. I then use the data based on the Instructional Groupings to meet with students and provide interventions in a small group setting in specific domains. When students are not working directly with me, they are instructed to complete i-Ready My Path lessons to further ensure the learning gaps are addressed.

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Kyair Butts.

Kyair Butts, Teacher

Elmer A. Henderson Hopkins Partnership School, MD

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Equitable, Mattering, Anti-racist

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

Information is data, and my students are well informed. Data conferences and family follow-ups mean stakeholders have the information necessary to grow exponentially.

TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

Rebecca Brenneman.

Rebecca Brenneman, Grade 7 Mathematics Teacher/Mathematics Department Chair

Northern Middle, MD

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Engaging, Rigorous, High-Achieving

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

The numbers don't lie . . . well, most of the time, their truths can guide instruction and increase achievement. Through the use of standardized test scores, i-Ready lessons, and frequent informal assessments, adjustments in placement and adaptation of instruction can occur.

TWITTER

Krileshia Boyd.

Krileshia Boyd, Teacher

Northeast Elementary School, MS

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Growth Is Goals

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

Data should inform instruction in order to provide students with additional support as needed, but all instruction should be based on the grade-level instructional standards established by the state. It is my responsibility to combine what students need with instruction using the data.

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Andrea Schipke.

Andrea Schipke, Mathematics Teacher

Laurel Magnet School of the Arts, MS

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Fun, Purposeful, Energetic

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
If you know what the problem is, you can fix it. i-Ready Diagnostics help us identify problems within the classroom. As a teacher, I use this data to accelerate some groups and remediate others. Other data points and reports throughout the year, like Standards Mastery, help guide my direction for my scholars' needs.

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Siobhan Cochran.

Siobhan Cochran, Teacher

Trent Lott Academy, MS

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Accountability, Engagement, Comradery

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
Using my baseline data from the i-Ready Diagnostic test, I create a smart goal, remediate, and use progress monitoring.  Then, I target certain interventions using the Teacher Toolbox or activities from Magnetic Reading depending upon what my student needs.

TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

Casey Watts.

Casey Watts, Grade 4 ELA Teacher

Laurel Magnet School of the Arts, MS

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Creative, Challenging, Collaborative

Describe your motto on data-driven instruction. Consider how you use i‑Ready or other data.
Effective instruction is not about how well I taught it, but how well my students learned it, and data shows me whether or not the students grasped the concepts I’ve taught. I begin by using Diagnostic and state assessment data and constantly use the data from students' i-Ready learning paths, independent practices, and standards masteries to inform how I need to proceed with my instruction throughout the year.

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Natalie (Nina) Henderson.

Natalie "Nina" Henderson, Grade 3 Teacher

Lakeshore Elementary, NY

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Welcoming, Inclusive/Diverse, Safe

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

In order to address a wide range of skills and abilities in my classroom, I utilize the prerequisite skills to determine student groupings. I also depend on the Teacher Toolbox for math instruction and to fill achievement gaps in Tier 2 and Tier 3 small groups. Students' i-Ready lessons (i.e., their path) and assigned quizzes allow me to collect data and further inform my instruction.

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Anna Balletta.

Anna Balletta, Grade 2 Teacher

Beech Street School, NH

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Safe, Authentic, Joyful

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

I use data daily to inform my whole group and small group instruction. Teaching requires a lot of reflection and planning. With daily exit tickets, I am able to gauge where each of my students is on their learning plan, and figure out what I can do to boost them to where they need to be.

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Christina Griffoni.

Christina Griffoni, Middle School ELA Teacher

Dr. Henry H. Davis Family School, NJ

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Safe, Respectful, Firm/Fun/Fair (That counts as one word!)

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

My motto on data-driven instruction is: "It works if you work it!" Data from i-Ready is something that is ingrained in my daily teaching as well as my students' daily learning.

TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

Eve Fiorica.

Eve Fiorica, Grade 1 Teacher

Seton Catholic School, NY

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

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

Data-driven instruction is very important, and it guides my instruction. I use i-Ready along with other researched-based assessments to prepare my lessons to meet the needs of my students.

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Justin Teague.

Justin Teague, Grade 6 Mathematics Teacher

Liverpool Middle School, NY

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Energizing, Rigorous, Empowering

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

My daily instruction is data informed, driven by my district’s mission and vision. i-Ready provides me with robust tools to collect data and monitor student progress to maximize achievement for each individual student.

Matthew Weimann.

Matthew Weimann, Gifted Support Teacher

Willow Lane Elementary, PA

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Challenging, Grit Producing, Thought Provoking

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

Data is the GPS of teaching. Without it, one is lost, or instruction is a joyride. Domain 1 of Danielson's Framework for Teaching has Knowledge (data) of Students, right after Knowledge of Content, as one of the very first things to consider when teaching.

TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

Cinderella Shaw.

Cinderella Shaw, Grade 5 Teacher

Lady's Island Elementary School, SC

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Collaborative, Inclusive, Dynamic

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

My motto is: "Inform, adapt, excel: guiding learning with data." Data-driven instruction allows us to use measurable student data to inform and adjust teaching strategies and target and adapt the learning environment to be conducive for the students to excel.

TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

Clare Ashford.

Clare Ashford, Grade K Teacher

Poplar Grove Elementary School, TN

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Inclusive, Welcoming, Community

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

I use data to drive whole group and small group instruction, highlight student achievement, and give my students ownership and authority over their own learning. My students, even at 5 years old, have shown tremendous growth when given the opportunity to take an active role in their learning.

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Achinanya Uloma.

Uloma Achinanya, Mathematics Instructional Specialist

Magaret Long Wisdom High School, TX

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Inviting, Fun, Engaging

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

From data to destiny: guiding learning adventures 

Lisa Concepcion-Elm.

Lisa Concepcion-Elm, Mathematics Specialist

West Hills STEM Academy, WA

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

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

I use the i-Ready data and daily class work and conversations to drive my instruction. My students know what they can do and what they need more help with. Weekly data chats and  immediate feedback allow my students to stay focused and to work hard toward their goals. 

Emily Crislip.

Emily Castelli, Grade 2 Teacher

Salem Elementary, WV

Describe your classroom culture in three words.
Welcoming, Inclusive, Participatory (everyone is always participating)!

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

To be an effective educator, data-driven instruction is paramount to making good decisions regarding education and intervention in the classroom. I use i-Ready data to plan small group intervention lessons to assist students with essential skills they may need extra support to become proficient. I also do monthly growth monitoring, which allows me to see if I need to change my approach in class.

INSTAGRAM

Leadership Collaborative Class of 2024

Stephen Thomas.

Stephen Thomas

St. Andrew's School of Math and Science, SC

Describe your school culture in three words.
Diverse, Intentional, Real

Michael Perry.

Michael Perry

Greenville Middle, GA

Describe your school culture in three words.
Collaborative, High Expectations, Supportive

Tim Baynes.

Tim Baynes

Sunny Hills Elementary School, WA

Describe your school culture in three words.
Belonging, Belief, Community

Johanna Hughey.

Johanna Hughey

Long Beach Middle School, MS

Describe your school culture in three words.
Welcoming, Nurturing, Positive

Amy Smith.

Amy Smith

A.H. Watwood Elementary School, AL

Describe your school culture in three words.
Student Centered, Positive, Engaging

Diane Kostovski.

Diane Kostovski

Garfield Elementary, IL

Describe your school culture in three words.
Supportive, Community, Dedicated

Olia Hardy.

Olia Hardy

William Paca Elementary School, MD

Describe your school culture in three words.
Open-Minded, Flexible, Evolving

Corey Limburg.

Corey Limburg

Ocoee Middle School, TN

Describe your school culture in three words.
Safe, Energetic, Collaborative

Latara Robinson.

Latara Robinson

Stuttgart Junior High, AR

Describe your school culture in three words.
Commitment, Supportive, Intentional

Dawn Massey.

Dawn Massey

Florosa Elementary, FL

Describe your school culture in three words.
Growth Mindset, Perseverance, Collaborative

Keyara Bishop.

Keyara Bishop

Wilson Elementary School, IL

Describe your school culture in three words.
Driven, Growth, Unified

Brandon Pinkney.

Brandon Pinkney

Walter P. Carter Elementary/Middle School, MD

Describe your school culture in three words.
Fair, Loving, Inclusive

Melissa Paparella.

Melissa Paparella

Mifflin Park Elementary, PA

Describe your school culture in three words.
Collaborative, Family, Energized

Jennifer Jackson.

Jennifer Jackson

Rancho-Starbuck Intermediate School, CA

Describe your school culture in three words.
Unity, Excellence, Connectivity

Doctor Roxanne Allen.

Dr. Roxanne Allen

Chase STEMM Academy, OH

Describe your school culture in three words.
Family, Celebratory, Focused

Meghan Shore.

Meghan Shore

Alleghany Avenue Elementary, NY

Describe your school culture in three words.
Inclusive, Positive, Supportive

Inspire Award

Curriculum Associates Inspire Award
Tomeeko Hunt, Principal
Leonard V. Moore Middle School, NJ

Hunt was selected as an exemplar of the strong bonds with school-based visionaries who take i‑Ready to its highest heights in their work.