Teach Plus-Indianapolis Names 30 Educators as Teaching Policy Fellows

Teach Plus-Indianapolis Names 30 Educators as Teaching Policy Fellows

Rigorous Selection Process Yields Outstanding Teachers from Public Schools Across Indianapolis 

Indianapolis, IN – Teach Plus-Indianapolis has accepted 30 Indianapolis-area teachers into its 2016 Teaching Policy Fellowship cohort. The Fellows began on Saturday, January 16th  and will continue through May 2017. During the 16-month experience, Fellows will look to magnify the impact they have in their classrooms through personal interaction with education leaders, a challenging course of study in education policy, and an opportunity to advocate for policies that will better serve students and help retain excellent teachers. They began their training by developing their advocacy stories and hearing their first guest speaker, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett.

“I am excited by the strength of the new Fellows in this cohort,” said Teach Plus-Indianapolis Director of Policy, Patrick McAlister. “Our Teacher Leaders come from diverse backgrounds and have a strong desire to make positive change in their classrooms, schools, and districts.”

The new Fellows come from a variety of public schools and districts in Indianapolis. Of the 30 educators, eleven teach in Indianapolis Public Schools, eleven teach in Township districts, six teach in charter schools, and two teach in turnaround schools. Many of the incoming teachers have been recognized for outstanding instruction by their respective schools and districts.

“The Teaching Policy Fellowship will be a tremendous opportunity to be a voice for teachers and students in Indianapolis,” said David McGuire, a teacher in Pike Township. “This is an important time in our city and this fellowship will provide us with the opportunity to impact educational policy in a positive way for years to come.”

The 2016 Teach Plus Teaching Policy Fellows are:

Jacqueline Aldridge of Maplewood Elementary in Wayne Township

Margaret Amarante of KIPP Indy

Jill Armington of Paramount School of Excellence

Shawnta Barnes of Wendell Phillips Elementary in IPS

Alissa Birch of Irvington Preparatory Academy

Shannon Brown of Manual High School

Mark Cassoday of George Fisher Elementary in IPS

Rebecca Christensen of Northview Middle School in Washington Township

Maddie Denton of Greenbriar Elementary in Washington Township

Christopher Elliott of TC Howe Community High School

Emily Flack of Clarence Farrington Elementary in IPS

Elizabeth Gans of Northview Middle School in Washington Township

Anna Handy of Raymond Park in Warren Township

Natalie Hines of Rousseau McClellan Elementary in IPS

Katheryn Kirchner of Harshman Magnet Middle School in IPS

Michael Lipphardt of Lighthouse College Prep

Ryan Little of Westlane Middle School in Washington Township

David McGuire of Pike Preparatory Academy in Pike Township

Rachel McWaters of Eastwood Middle School in Washington Township

Melissa Mullins Riverside Elementary in IPS

Kelsey Pison of Clarence Farrington Elementary in IPS

Charity Scott of North Central High School in Washington Township

Kirby Selle of Christel House Academy, South

Katharina Shepler of Ralph Waldo Emerson Elementary in IPS

Beth Sperry of James Russell Lowell Elementary in IPS

Nicole Szoko of Harshman Magnet Middle School in IPS

Hwa Tsu of North Central High School in Washington Township

ShaDe’ Watson of Tindley Collegiate Academy

Ashley Weselo of George W Julian Elementary in IPS

Andrea Woolery of Chapelwood Elementary in Wayne Township

 

About Teach Plus: 

Teach Plus aims to empower excellent, experienced teachers to take leadership over key policy and practice issues that affect their students’ success. Teach Plus runs three programs designed to place teacher leaders at the center of improvements in policy and practice: Teaching Policy Fellowship, C2 Initiative, and T3 (Turnaround Teacher Teams) Initiative. The programs focus on demonstrably effective teachers who want to continue classroom teaching while also expanding their impact as leaders in their schools and in district, state, and national policy. Since its inception in August 2009, Teach Plus has grown to a network of more than 20,000 solutions-oriented teachers across the country.

Media Contact:
Patrick McAlister, 260-409-7225
pmcalister@teachplus.org