4th Issue No images? Click here Teach Plus Mississippi HeadlinesOver the past month, several Teach Plus Mississippi Fellows and Alums have been recognized for their work in their classrooms, communities, and students' advocacy. Read on to learn more about our teacher leaders and some interesting upcoming events. Senior Writing Fellow Advocates for Better Dyslexia SupportShelley Putnam, Senior Writing Fellow Shelley Putnam, a Teach Plus Senior Writing Fellows Program member, wrote an op-ed calling for ways to improve services for students with dyslexia. The op-ed, Dyslexia and public schools: Show compassion through testing and instruction, was published in the Pine Belt News (Hattiesburg) on November 11th. "The current figures for dyslexic children in Mississippi are between 5% and 20%, a number dubiously aligned with the retention rate of first, second, and third graders in our state. Incorporating dyslexia testing and therapy in our public schools will help reduce the number of students who are failing early grades and increase their success rates in later years." Shelley is a 2018-19 alum of the Mississippi Policy Fellowship who also served as a Senior Policy Fellow in 2020-21. She is a National Board Certified middle school science teacher at Purvis Middle School in the Lamar County School District. Mississippi Program UpdatesTeach Plus MS Policy Fellows with Jim Larson from TNTP Teach Plus Federal Policy Manager Dilan Pedraza joined our Policy Fellows to present a training module on setting policy goals. Based on the findings from their research over the past month, each of our four working groups began crafting and refining the research and advocacy goals that will guide their work for the rest of the fellowship. Our Fellows were also joined by Jim Larson from TNTP, who discussed efforts to strengthen the teacher pipeline, including right here in the Magnolia State. Meet Our 2022-23 Policy FellowsHeather Rowland, Columbus Municipal School District Heather Rowland is an elementary and gifted teacher at Cook Elementary in Columbus, MS. She is also the District Coordinator of Gifted Services and Elementary Arts for the Columbus Municipal School District and served on the Superintendent’s Teacher Advisory Council. Heather has a National Board Certification in Early Childhood Literacy and completed the University of Mississippi’s Principal Corps in 2016-2017. She earned her BA in Theatre and gifted certification from the Mississippi University for Women, an MA in Theatre from Stephen F. Austin State University, and an EdS in Educational Leadership and her administrator’s license from the University of Mississippi. Rebecca Hooper, Laurel School District Rebecca Hooper is the Science Coordinator of Professional Development and Instructional Programs for the Laurel School District. She provides professional development training for K-12 science teachers in the district. She is a National Board Certified teacher who has previously served as Science Department Chair and Science & Engineering Fair Coordinator at Laurel High School. She earned her BS in Biochemistry from California State University – San Luis Obispo, a credential in chemistry, and an MEd in Curriculum and Instructional with a focus in science education from the University of Texas at Arlington. Teacher Voices“In rural districts, in poor states like Mississippi, they get hit the hardest as far as the equity issue, the lack of resources. You know, the kids that are coming from systemic poverty and [with] these generational issues, it is different… It’s a different ballgame,” Policy Fellow, Shana Bolden, featured in ‘When districts can’t find teachers, students suffer.’ Here’s why teacher shortages are disproportionately hurting low-income schools Alumni SpotlightWhitney Christenson and Monica Meredith Fellowship Alums Whitney Christenson & Monica Meredith Fellowship alums Monica Meredith (2020-21) and Whitney Christenson (2021-22) were recently awarded funding for their community projects during a Pitch Breakfast hosted by the Teach For America Graduate Fellows Program. The program, which is a partnership with Delta State, awards funds to assist in the development of social entrepreneurship projects. Monica, a 7th-grade special education teacher at Desoto Central Middle School, is developing a mentoring club for 8th-grade special education students who are 1-2 years older than their middle school peers to connect and engage them in their educational environment and prepare and motivate them to continue their educational growth into high school in the coming year in the hopes of them graduating with a diploma. Whitney, a math teacher at LeFlore Christian School and a doctoral student, is developing a card deck that helps teachers and parents know how to better support student needs. The deck is based on the 6 types of parent involvement. We are excited and proud of the work our Alumni are doing within education in Mississippi. Upcoming Events & OpportunitiesSEL Change Agent Showcase Teach Plus will be hosting a virtual showcase for our SEL Change Agents, including the teacher leaders who have developed projects in the Jackson Public School District. The Showcase will take place Tuesday, December 13th, at 5:30 pm. RSVP by emailing jdusinberre@teachplus.org Teach Plus National Webinar & Discussion: Reimagining the Teaching Profession Join Teach Plus and the Coalition to Reimagine The Teaching Role on Wednesday, December 7th at 7 pm to learn about how teachers are helping to shape a national movement to elevate the profession. This event is part of an ongoing effort to create a dynamic, collaborative, diverse, rewarding, and sustainable profession. Opportunities with Reconstruction Reconstruction is an organization that focuses on delivering a K-12 supplemental curriculum that situates Black people, Black culture, and Black contributions to American and world history. They are currently looking to hire a full-time Site Director and additional Reconstructors (tutors) to work with students in Jackson Public Schools. About Teach PlusThe mission of Teach Plus is to empower excellent, experienced, and diverse teachers to take leadership over key policy and practice issues that advance equity, opportunity, and student success. Since 2009, Teach Plus has developed thousands of teacher leaders across the country to shape education policy and improve teaching and learning, to create an education system driven by access and excellence for all. Want to be involved? Join Our Network or Nominate Teachers to join by visiting our website at teachplus.org/MS or click below: For more information about the Policy Fellowship, please email Teach Plus Mississippi Executive Director Sanford Johnson at sjohnson@teachplus.org. Monthly |