Extraordinary Educators: Class of 2025

Extraordinary Educator Teacher Class of 2025

 

Alyssa Smith, Grade 4 Teacher, Berne-Knox-Westerlo Elementary, NY

Describe your school culture in three words.
Collaborative, Inclusive, Safe
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
Data drives my daily instruction across the curriculum in fourth grade. I use the independent practice in Magnetic Reading and scaffolded instruction when students need reteaching. I also will use the Standards Mastery after reteaching to reassess student learning.

 

Amanda Gibson, Grade 3 Teacher, College Park Elementary, MS

Describe your school culture in three words.
Engaging, Supportive, Dynamic
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
Having a data-driven classroom is one of the most important qualities of an effective classroom. Teachers today have many resources and data points to help make responsible and effective planning decisions to help all of their students grow.

 

Amanda Slauson, Teacher, Unity Elementary School, GA

Describe your school culture in three words.
Positive, "Shout-Outs," Accepted.
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
Data is important to drive instruction. As a teacher, I have to know where my students are and where I need them to get. i-Ready makes it easy for me to use data to help my students achieve their goals.

 

Brooke Schmidt, Grade K Teacher, Drexel School, IL

Describe your school culture in three words.
Supportive, Inclusive, Engaged
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
Data informs and actions transforms. By using iReady data to understand individual student strengths and weaknesses, teachers can tailor instruction for optimal learning and continuous improvement.

 

Candice Cohen Hardee, Teacher, Aynor Middle School, SC

Describe your school culture in three words.
Collaborative, Engaging, Purposeful
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
My motto for data-driven instruction is to move students to the potential they are capable of reaching. I look at the data and set goals for students based on their iReady diagnostic fall or historical diagnostic scores.

 

Dontavius Barkley, Teacher, Hollis Hand Elementary School, GA

Describe your school culture in three words.
Open Communication, Positive Relationships, Sense of Belonging.
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
In my classroom, all of my lessons are data-driven based on my students' test scores. With the scores, I can be intentional about my instruction to better serve my students.

 

Emily Emery, Grade 4 Math and Science Teacher, Richfield Elementary School, NC

Describe your school culture in three words.
Inviting, Engaging, Orderly
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
The i-Ready Diagnostics give me a lot of informative data to develop instructional groups, but I feel like i-Ready is my co-teacher because students instantly begin working on their individual learning path to grow at a rate that suits them.

 

Holly Slay, Grade 3 Teacher, Quitman Upper Elementary School, MS

Describe your school culture in three words.
Energetic, Competitive, Family
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
My motto on data-driven instruction is "Let the data lead the way," as it allows me to tailor my teaching strategies based on student performance insights from i-Ready. I can identify specific areas where students struggle and adjust my lessons.

 

Jessica Sansoucie, Grade 3 Teacher, McRae Elementary, AR

Describe your school culture in three words.
Inclusive, Supportive, Loving
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
Determine essential standards, teach, assess, analyze, draw conclusions, and take action. The i-Ready data helps me see individual student strengths and areas for growth. This allows me to accommodate and modify lessons and interventions to meet each student's specific needs.

 

Jon Olson, Teacher, Greenville Middle School, GA

Describe your school culture in three words.
Challenging, Goal-Driven, Growth-Oriented
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
My motto is "Empower, adapt, and Show Growth." I use i-Ready along with State data to identify students' strengths and areas for growth, then tailor instruction and interventions to meet individual needs, ensuring that each student can progress and succeed.

 

Karen Osborn, Teacher, Florosa Elementary School, FL

Describe your school culture in three words.
Inclusive, Focused, Successful
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
"We all grow at different rates!" Effective and consistent use of i-Ready provides all students with the opportunity to accelerate their learning.

 

Kari Seashore, Elementary Math Development TOSA, Lake Oswego School District Central Office, OR

Describe your school culture in three words.
Inclusive, Student-centered, Collaborative
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
Data-driven instruction should empower educators to make informed, targeted decisions that meet the diverse needs of their students. I have used i-Ready data to inform goals around our MTSS system and determine the needs of students.

 

Katherine Lavine, Mathematics Teacher, The Expedition School, NC

Describe your school culture in three words.
High expectations, high support (I know that's four!)
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
i-Ready data is essential to our school's Multi-Tiered Systems of Support process at all levels as i-Ready is used as a universal screener to identify students for both math enrichment and math support.

 

Kimberly Alexander, Grade 5 Teacher, Namaqua Elementary, CO

Describe your school culture in three words.
Inclusive, Supportive, Engaging.
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
My motto on data-driven instruction is "Informed teaching for intentional growth." I use i-Ready to identify students’ strengths and areas for growth, allowing me to tailor my lessons, set meaningful goals, and provide targeted support that drives each student toward success.

 

Lauren Dooley, Grade 5 Math and Science Teacher, Davis Academy for Arts and Design Innovation Magnet School, CT

Describe your school culture in three words.
Inclusive, Reflective, Creative
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
Empowering every student through data-driven instruction, where insights from i-Ready and other assessments create personalized learning experiences for every learner. This commitment transforms assessment data into targeted instruction, fosters growth and achievement in every lesson.

 

Maggie Linneer, Teacher, Tumbleweed, AZ

Describe your school culture in three words.
Inclusive Collaborative Respectful
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
"Informed by Data, Inspired by Students" is my motto. It is a balance between using data to guide instruction but keeping the focus on the needs and potential of every student.

 

Marla Dunlow, Grade 4 Teacher, Chocowinity Primary School, NC

Describe your school culture in three words.
Driven, Responsible, Devoted
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
I love to study data! I use the data to determine who needs specific interventions. I also use data to drive my instruction. Much of this instruction is enhance with the lessons from the Teacher Toolbox. Data drives my instruction.

 

Meghan Froman, Math Teacher, Delisle Elementary School, MS

Describe your school culture in three words.
Respectful, Supportive, Inclusive
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
“Guided by insights, growing through knowledge.” I utilize a combination of the data reports through iReady as well as the data that I receive through the weekly quizzes on Mastery Connect to better see mastery as we progress through the standards.

 

Melissa May, Teacher, Surf City Middle School, NC

Describe your school culture in three words.
I am enough!
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
Knowing where to go is important, but understanding how you got there is essential. Effective instruction requires using data to identify students' needs and guide their growth.

 

Michelle Hampton, Middle School Special Education Teacher/RTI Interventionist, ROE 21, IL

Describe your school culture in three words.
Inclusive, Safe, Supportive
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
I believe that my students' data, from i-Ready specifically, drives my planning and instruction. By analyzing my students' data regularly, it helps me understand my students' strengths and weaknesses, but also helps me know how to support my students' learning.

 

Natalie Banks, Grade 3 Teacher, Woodrow Wilson Elementary, KS

Describe your school culture in three words.
Safe, Welcoming, Fun
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
I use the prerequisite reports before each unit to help create small groups for small group instruction. I also have students create goals prior to taking the diagnostic to encourage student effort. I use diagnostic growth reports to set these goals.

 

Nicolette Barone, Grade 5 Teacher, Oak Park Elementary School, FL

Describe your school culture in three words.
Empowering, Relational, Fun
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
Data driven instruction is one of the most pivotal pieces in planning. I use i-Ready and grade level assessments to help me close gaps and build a ladder between where students are and where I need them to be.

 

Sarah Silvernail, Grade 6 Teacher, Schroon Lake Central School, NY

Describe your school culture in three words.
Dynamic, Empowering, Nurturing
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
Data-driven instruction is the solid foundation upon which we build personalized learning, ensuring every student can reach success. i-Ready is the essential component where data is harnessed to create groupings and instructional plans to meet the needs of a class.

 

Shannon Allison, Grade 1 Teacher, Mead School, CT

Describe your school culture in three words.
Safe, Structured, Engaging
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
I like to be flexible when it comes to data-driven instruction -- meaning I am always ready to change a lesson or my teaching depending on data collected from assessments and student observations -- to meet the needs of my students.

 

Sowmya Sugumaran, Grade 3 Teacher, Northview Elementary, KS

Describe your school culture in three words.
Inclusive, Collaborative, Supportive
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
My motto on data-driven instruction is "Empower every learner through informed decisions." I utilize i-Ready data to identify individual student needs, track progress, and tailor interventions, ensuring that each student receives the targeted support necessary for their growth.

 

Taylor White Brown, Grade 5 English Language Arts Teacher, Simpson Central School, MS

Describe your school culture in three words.
Learn, Laugh, Love
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
The motto I live by is, "Data drives successful instruction." Data provides teachers with the material and next steps to ensure student achievement is met.

 

Toby Mitchell, Grade 4 General/Special Education Teacher, Ali'iolani Elementary School, HI

Describe your school culture in three words.
Engaging, Inclusive, Metacognitive
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
I use iReady data to celebrate student growth, but I also teach students how to understand what their data tells them about themselves so they can set goals, increase their motivation, excellence, and ultimately put them in charge of their education/learning.

 

Tracey Fuller, Math Intervention Teacher, Chatham Middle School, NY

Describe your school culture in three words.
Mellow, Inviting, Accepting
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
Data drives all instruction in my room, being an intervention space. I also chat with the core math teachers to see where they are going in class so I can use pre-requisite reports to help give my students a leg up.

 

Victoria Scheu, Teacher, Guardian Angels School, OH

Describe your school culture in three words.
Supportive, Engaging, Collaborative
Describe your motto on data-driven instruction, and consider how you use i-Ready or other data.
My motto is that data-driven instruction should be considered in all ways of the classroom from education/learning to behavior. It can be used as tool to drive instruction to challenge the students excelling and catch up those facing challenges.

 

Leadership Collaborative Class of 2025

Erika Hubbard, Principal, KIPP Blytheville College Preparatory School, AR

Describe your school culture in three words.
Supportive, Learners, Hardworking

 

Cheryl Smith, Principal, Clarendon Elementary School, AR

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

 

Shanna Ray, Principal and Director of Curriculum, Cappy Culver Elementary School, CA

Describe your school culture in three words.
Trusting/Safe, Results-Oriented, Engaging

 

Monica Pafumi, Principal, Virginia Peterson Elementary School, CA

Describe your school culture in three words.
Kind, Inclusive, Prepared

 

Brian Godsill, Principal, Kalaheo Elementary School, HI

Describe your school culture in three words.
Aloha, Interdependence, Growth

 

Jennifer Pimentel, Vice Principal, Lāna'i High & Elementary School, HI

Describe your school culture in three words.
Collaborative, T.O.R.C.H, Student-Centered

 

Jennifer Rodriguez, Assistant Prinicipal, Roosevelt School, IL

Describe your school culture in three words.
Analytical, Informed, Responsive

 

Sean Rabiola, Principal, Leigh School, IL

Describe your school culture in three words.
Family, Welcoming, Fun

 

Ashley Smith, Principal, Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School, KS

Describe your school culture in three words.
Joyful, Hardworking, Caring

 

Nikki Lavergne, Assistant Principal of Instruction, Live Oak Junior High School, LA

Describe your school culture in three words.
Fun, Competitive, Family

 

Daniel Bieser, Principal, Bayless Junior High School, MO

Describe your school culture in three words.
Supportive, Respectful, Accepting

 

Brian Rehg, Principal, Parkade Elementary School, MO

Describe your school culture in three words.
Innovative, Relationship-Centered, Data-Driven

 

Brittney Chaney, Principal, Southeast Lauderdale Middle School, MS

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

 

Anita Wansley, Principal, Northeast Elementary School, MS

Describe your school culture in three words.
Learning, Collaboration, Celebration

 

Shacora Moore, Principal, Northeast Lauderdale Middle School, MS

Describe your school culture in three words.
Academic, Safe, Equitable

 

Jimmy Tullos, Principal, Utica Elementary/Middle School, MS

Describe your school culture in three words.
Small, but mighty!

 

Theodora Tufts, Principal, Hills Garrison Elementary School, NH

Describe your school culture in three words.
Collaborative, Supportive, High academic and behavioral expectations for all students

 

Yessenia Pena-Gutierrez, Assistant Principal, Enrico Fermi School, NY

Describe your school culture in three words.
Energetic, Warm, Welcoming

 

Sandra Santos, Principal, World Language Middle School, OH

Describe your school culture in three words.
Kind, Welcome, Inclusive

 

Xanthe McFadden, Principal, Harrison Road Elementary School, VA

Describe your school culture in three words.
Kids first every day

 

Curriculum Associates Inspire Award

Kyle Pinckard, Principal, Boaz Middle School, AL

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