Austin, TX—Teach Plus, a national nonprofit that empowers teachers to lead improvements in policy and practice, has selected 30 demonstrably-effective teachers to its second cohort of Teach Plus Texas Policy Fellows and 21 to its inaugural Teach Plus DFW Policy Fellowship. As Fellows, the teachers will work to amplify the impact they have in their classrooms through a specially-designed course of study in education policy and advocacy. They will interact with Texas education leaders and advocate for policies that will better serve their students, the profession, and education in the state. The DFW Fellows will specifically focus on educational issues facing Dallas-Fort Worth.
“Teach Plus Policy Fellows’ advocacy has led to much-needed policy change on such key issues as teacher preparation and mentoring for new teachers,” said Lindsay Sobel, Teach Plus Texas Senior Executive Director. “We are excited to have two new cohorts of excellent teachers who will bring their voices and expertise to the table and build upon Fellows’ successes in districts across Texas and in the Capitol.”
“I hope that in being part of the Fellowship, we can move the needle on issues facing immigrant students, students of color, students in poverty, and students facing mental health or trauma,” said Veronica Rivera, a bilingual teacher at Rita Kay Driggers Elementary School in San Antonio and a Teach Plus Texas Teaching Policy Fellow.
“I look forward to the opportunity to be the voice for those students who get overlooked in the current American education system,” said Eric Hale, kindergarten and 1st grade teacher at David G. Burnet Elementary in Dallas and Teach Plus DFW Teaching Policy Fellow.
The new Fellows come from a variety of districts and represent a wide range of schools across Texas. The teachers are all proven leaders who have demonstrated commitment to their students through their dedication to the profession. Many of the incoming teachers have been recognized for outstanding instruction by their respective schools and districts.
The 2018-19 Teach Plus Texas Policy Fellows are:
Tara Bordeaux, Lanier Early College High School, Austin ISD
Sarah Carrola, Whittier Middle School, San Antonio ISD
Kim Denning-Knapp, McNeil High School, Round Rock ISD
Brooke Ferguson, Texas High School, Texarkana ISD
Mariesther Flores, REAL Learning Academy, Wayside Schools
Martin Gonzalez, Estrada Achievement Center, San Antonio ISD
Chris Green, Rhodes Middle School, San Antonio ISD
Kisaundra Harris, Tascosa High School, Amarillo ISD
Austin Hawk, Steele Montessori Academy, San Antonio ISD
Laura Herrera, Harmony Hills Elementary, Northeast ISD
JoLisa Hoover, Reed Elementary, Leander ISD
Adrain Hudson, Sinclair Elementary, Houston ISD
D’Juan Hych, YES Prep Gulfton, YES Prep Public Schools
Travon Jefferson, Shadydale Elementary, Houston ISD
Andrea Lucas, Mirabeau Lamar Elementary School, San Antonio ISD
Treveon Murdock, YES Prep High School, YES Prep Public Schools
Milton Perez, Ridgeview Middle School, Round Rock ISD
Sarah Perez, Riverside Park Elementary School, San Antonio ISD
Jen Rabat, Advanced Learning Academy, San Antonio ISD
Maria Rives, Stephen F. Austin High School in Fort Bend ISD
Veronica Rivera, Rita Kay Driggers Elementary School, Northside ISD
Maria Rocha, Mark Twain Dual Language Academy, San Antonio ISD
Mark Rogers, Austin Achieve, Austin
Elizabeth Rodriguez, BC Elmore Elementary School, Houston ISD
Taylor Serrata, Peach Creek Elementary, Splendora ISD
Samantha Schleder, Harmony School of Science, Harmony Public Schools
Shontoria Walker, Empowerment High School, Houston
Megan Whalon, CAST Tech, San Antonio ISD
Aletha Williams, Milby High School, Houston ISD
Coral Zayas, Mary Harris Intermediate, Crowley ISD
The 2018-19 DFW Teaching Policy Fellows are:
Ethel Alsbrooks, John L. Patton, Jr. Academic Center, Dallas ISD
Brenda Ayala, West Handley Elementary School, Fort Worth ISD
Katie Benningfield, School for the Talented and Gifted in Pleasant Grove, Dallas ISD
Natalie Brown, Frank Guzick Elementary School, Dallas ISD
Angela Burke, Dallas Environmental Science Academy, Dallas ISD
Anthony Castro, Momentous School, Momentous Institute
Denetta Corbin, Zan Holmes Middle School, Dallas ISD
Leslie Correa, Tom C. Gooch Elementary, Dallas ISD
Alicia Davis, Edward Titche Elementary, Dallas ISD
Vladimir Dinolov, Dan D. Rogers Elementary, Dallas ISD
Eric Hale, David G. Burnet Elementary, Dallas ISD
Matthew Hight, Jose “Joe” May Elementary, Dallas ISD
Aaron Joseph, Dr. Martin Luther King Learning Center, Dallas ISD
Shareefah Mason, A. Maceo Smith New Tech High School, Dallas ISD
Sakennia Reed, Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy, Dallas ISD
Chaslyn Reynolds, Ben Milam Elementary School, Dallas ISD
Julie Rowe, Leadership Academy at Mitchell Boulevard, Fort Worth ISD
Orion Smith, Arlington Heights High School, Fort Worth ISD
Josue Torres, Cesar Chavez Learning Center, Dallas ISD
Rickey Townsend, Benjamin Franklin Middle School, Dallas ISD
Jakobus Wolf, Townview Magnet Center, Dallas ISD
About Teach Plus
The mission of Teach Plus is to empower excellent, experienced teachers to take leadership over key
policy and practice issues that affect their students’ success. Since 2009, Teach Plus has trained
thousands of teacher leaders across the country who are driving policy changes and improving the
instructional practices of teachers to create an education system driven by equity, access, and
excellence for all students. teachplus.org
