Indianapolis, IN—Teach Plus, a national non-profit that empowers teachers to lead improvements in policy and practice, has selected 20 highly-effective teacher leaders as Fellows of the inaugural Indiana Teaching Policy Fellowship. During the twelve-month program, Fellows will look to magnify the impact they have in their classrooms through personal interactions with education leaders and opportunities to advocate for policies around key state-level issues, such as the creation and expansion of career pathways for teacher leaders.
“It was a pleasure to meet with the Teach Plus Fellows,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick. “I am encouraged by their commitment to strong, healthy education policies that serve students and respect teachers. I look forward to working with them in the future.”
The new Fellows come from across the state and teach in a variety of urban, suburban, and rural districts. Of the 20 educators, four come from the Fort Wayne area, five come from central Indiana, four teach in northern Indiana, and seven teach in rural areas around the state. The Fellows come from elementary, middle, and high schools, across many subjects. Fellows bring a wide range of years of experience and have entered the profession from a variety of teacher prep programs. Many of the Fellows are leaders in their schools and communities and have been recognized for their outstanding instruction. The demand for the Fellowship was highly competitive, with 72 applicants for 20 spots in the final cohort.
“It is an honor to be a part of the first cohort of statewide Teach Plus Fellows in Indiana,” said Indiana Fellow Jean Russell. “As the 2016 Indiana Teacher of the Year, I’ve been able to travel around the state and meet amazing educators. I believe lasting change in education must come from teachers, and I am excited to advocate for teachers and students as a Teach Plus Policy Fellow.”
In addition to Indiana, Teach Plus runs highly-selective Policy Fellowships for teachers in five states, including California, Colorado, New Mexico, Illinois, and Massachusetts. Fellows participate in an intensive course of study and learn to develop their voice in policy and advocacy. They engage directly with key education stakeholders and policy makers, and work to shape and advocate for policies that meet the needs of their students and the teaching profession.
The Indiana Teaching Policy Fellows are:
Dominique Barnes of Mabel K. Holland in Fort Wayne, IN
Lesley Bright of Carlisle Middle School in Carlisle, IN
Jessica Carlson of Garrett Middle School in Garrett, IN
Kelly Day of Westfield Middle School in Westfield, IN
Christy Diehl of Jefferson High School in Lafayette, IN
John Gensic of Penn High School in Mishawaka, IN
Amy Heath of Pleasant View Elementary in Yorktown, IN
Jodi Koors of North Decatur Elementary School in Greensburg, IN
Allison Larty of Noblesville High School in Noblesville, IN
Yvonne Lucas of Frankie Woods McCullough Girls’ Academy in Gary, IN
Liz Martin of Goshen Middle School in Goshen, IN
Marianne Mazely-Allen of Terre Haute North Vigo High School in Terre Haute, IN
Christopher McGrew of Haverhill Elementary School in Fort Wayne, IN
Robert McKerr of Carroll High School in Fort Wayne, IN
Carmen Napolitano of Fishers High School in Fishers, IN
Jean Russell of Haverhill Elementary School in Fort Wayne, IN
Brittany Snyder of Northside Middle School in Muncie, IN
Abby Taylor of Geist Elementary in Fishers, IN
Michael Wallace of Sullivan High School in Sullivan, IN
