The Voices of Teach Plus Arkansas
Monday, November 27, 2023
Introducing the 2023-2024 Teach Plus Arkansas Policy Fellows
2023-24 Teach Plus Arkansas Policy Fellows
About the 2023-2024 Teach Plus Arkansas Policy Fellows: This cohort consists of educators from Northwest Arkansas, Central Arkansas, the Arkansas Delta, and several towns in between. With teaching experience ranging from two to thirty years, these esteemed educators’ credentials cover Pre-K-12 core subjects, electives, and specialty areas such as CTE, Special Education, Gifted and Talented, College and Career Readiness, Spanish, and Media Studies. To learn more about each teacher leader,
click here to read their bio.
Teach Plus Arkansas Launches Third Policy Fellowship Cohort for Classroom Teachers
2023-24 Teach Plus Arkansas Seniors Fellows
- Cara Maxwell, Springdale Early Childhood Center, Springdale School District [Working Group: Northwest Arkansas]
- Michael Flowers, Wilbur D. Mills University Studies, Pulaski County Special School District [Working
Group: Recruitment & Retention]
- Monica Smith, Camden Fairview High School, Camden Fairview School District [Working Group: Teacher Leadership & Development]
- Alexis Jackson, Seventh Street Elementary, North Little Rock School District [Working Group: Teacher Leadership &
Development]
- Juanita Harris, Harmony Leadership Academy, Texarkana School District [Working Group: Early Literacy]
- Emily Garrison, Bentonville West High School, Bentonville School District [Working Group: Recruitment &
Retention]
For over a decade, nationally, Teach Plus has helped thousands of teacher leaders across the country deepen their knowledge of education policy and develop their leadership skills to create and improve policies and practices that ensure equity, opportunity, and student success. Since Teach Plus Arkansas’ kick-off in August of this year, our Policy Fellows have participated in training through expert-led modules on topics such as Teachers as Policy Influencers, Storytelling for Impact, Policy
101, Communication Tools & OpEd Writing, and Advocacy & Organizing. Additionally, the Fellows learned more about Arkansas’ educational landscape through guest speakers such as:
Supporting gifted students is crucial for their lifelong success. In this insightful article, Teach Plus Arkansas Policy Fellow Ashley Rieske highlights the challenges they face, from perfectionism to struggling with new tasks. And she urges us to provide the right training and support to help these students thrive. Read Here ->
Teach Plus Arkansas Policy Fellow Kathy Powers shares her expertise and passion for cultivating a lifelong love of reading among students in her thought-provoking piece titled "Fostering a Love of Literacy". Read Here -> (The Cabin)
Teach Plus Arkansas Alumni and Teach Plus' CEO Teacher Cabinet member, Leron McAdoo, has been featured in the latest edition of Black Vitality magazine! In the interview, Leron emphasized his commitment to advancing
education through his policy work with Teach Plus. His ultimate goal is to make teaching the best open secret, inspiring aspiring educators to not only choose one of the existing pathways but also forge their own unique paths in this noble profession. Check out the full article -->
Executive Director Stacey McAdoo is a contributing author to the newly released book “9th Grade Ready” which offers expert advice and actionable tools to help parents navigate this important year in a student’s life. Stacey’s chapter is about helping teens find and cultivate their passions and interests in and
out of school.
According to the data, Arkansas invests more in education than any other state in our area. Arkansas also leads the nation in food insecurity. In this powerful new op-ed, Senior Policy Fellow Emily Garrison urges policymakers to invest in universal free meals for our public school students so they can focus on learning and not their growling stomachs. Read Here -> (Arkansas Advocate)
Teach Plus Arkansas Senior Fellow Cara Maxwell made a significant impact at the Arkansas Early Childhood Association's 61st Annual Conference through her engaging presentations. In two sessions, she shared valuable insights on advancing early childhood education in Arkansas. Maxwell focused on creating actionable steps and utilizing storytelling as a powerful tool to drive progress in this critical field.
Kathy Powers, Teach Plus Arkansas Policy Fellow and the 2011 Arkansas State Teacher of the Year, highlighted the importance of fostering an environment where students take ownership of their learning and feel genuinely excited about it in her recent presentation to the Conway School District Board of Directors.
Policy Fellowship alumna LeAndra Grant provided the opening remarks for a screening of the documentary, “Right to Read.” LeAndra, a third-grade teacher, shared: “What hooked me about teaching was the ability to help kids, and I believe that there's
no more foundational way to help kids than teaching them to learn to read. … One of the biggest misconceptions about literacy is that it's a magical process, something that just happens as kids grow up. That's false. It's a very active process. It happens when teachers and parents take certain actions. You'll hear more tonight about the science of reading – it's what I'm doing and what teachers across Arkansas are doing in classrooms every single day.” LeVar Burton, the former host of “Reading Rainbow,” is a producer of the film and attended the screening.
The Northwest Arkansas Alumni Working Group, led by Senior Policy Fellow Cara Maxwell, joined forces with ForwARd Arkansas to help coordinate and launch regional listening sessions for The LeARner Collective. The goal of the sessions was to better understand the challenges schools and communities face when it comes to the future of student learning and to explore community-based solutions.
Executive Director Stacey McAdoo served as a guest panelist for the Arkansas Kids Count Coalition Webinar. During the webinar, hosted by Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, Stacey highlighted the working groups' goals of the current Arkansas Policy Fellows, including early literacy, teacher voice, development and leadership, strategic compensation, teacher recruitment and retention, and the goals of the 1 Million Teachers of Color Campaign. __________ Stacey, alongside leaders of the 1MTOC Campaign, delivered an interactive presentation titled "Building A Stronger Arkansas: Embracing Educator Diversity for Economic Growth and Student Success'' at the Arkansas Equity Summit. The
post-presentation discussion centered around several key reports including Teach Plus and the Center for Black Educator Development’s recently released national report, Seeing Myself: Students of Color on the Pros and Cons of Becoming Teachers; Teach Plus Arkansas’s 2021 report, Greater Than Diamonds: Recommendations on Improving Teacher Diversity in Arkansas from Teach Plus Teacher Policy Advisory Board; and TNTP’s Missing Out: Arkansas’ Teacher Shortage and How to Fix It. Other topics at the summit included implementing community-engaged research and finding ways to engage with and advocate for immigrant and migrant populations.
Teach Plus Arkansas Policy Fellow Joshua Smith received a grant from the Conway Public School Foundation for a program he started four years ago called Books with a Backpack, which gives brand-new books to students in need. By the end of the year, participating students will have more than 30 brand-new books.
Amanda Ladish was selected to be a member of the 2024 Teach Plus National Policy Advisory Board. The Teach Plus National Policy Advisory Board (2024) is a nonpartisan group of current classroom teachers that informs Teach Plus policy decisions at the federal level to advance equity-driven change. In 2023, board members met with over 60 U.S. Senators or U.S. Representatives and their staff, federal agency staff, and Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona, to brainstorm solutions to
promote the development and strengthening of the teacher workforce. In this year-long fellowship, Board members will build knowledge of federal policy, build their advocacy skills, and create strong relationships with their congressional representatives and staff. As part of the program, fellows are also expected to act as visible spokespeople for policy changes selected by the National Policy Advisory Board to advance equity, improve the teaching profession, and work on legislation that will improve student outcomes.
Teach Plus Arkansas Policy Fellow, Ruthie Walls, has been honored with the prestigious Bessie B. Moore Award for Excellence in Teaching Economics! This incredible recognition is presented by Economics Arkansas, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting K-12 educators in integrating economics into their curriculum, regardless of their subject area. _________ Ruthie also received the Exceptional Service to Education Award from The College Board during a ceremony in New York City. These beautiful words were shared during the ceremony by The College Board, CEO: “Every now and then, you come across a teacher who every
student wants to be around, to learn from, to experience. These remarkable teachers change the trajectories of young people’s lives with their commitment and integrity. For students at Little Rock Central High School, that teacher is Ms. Ruthie Walls. And so, it was no surprise that when AP African American Studies came under threat in Arkansas, it was Ruthie who stood up for the course she teaches.”
Juanita Harris, a distinguished Teach Plus Arkansas Senior Policy Fellow, has been honored in the prestigious Fabulous 40 & Under issue of Four States Living Magazine! In a recent interview, Juanita highlighted the misconception that teaching isn't a heavy responsibility just
because educators carry it with grace. Through her impactful work with Teach Plus Arkansas, the 1 Million Teachers of Color Campaign, and her own venture called Teachers Support Teachers, she's striving to uplift fellow educators and improve teacher retention rates.
Policy Fellow Allanna Henton was selected to the first cohort of the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching. Being a part of this cohort will afford her a pathway to earn the Lead Professional Educator Designation and learn how to help lead, support, and grow her colleagues.
Teach Plus Arkansas Policy Fellow Patricia Swinton has been elected to serve on the Certified Personnel Policy Committee for the Pulaski County Special School District.
In this engaging interview, Teach Plus Arkansas Policy Fellows Freda Calloway shares insights as a rural educator and her dedication to education, supporting students, and fostering community development. Check out the Podcast here ->
SAVE THE DATE June 26, 2024 - Little Rock, Arkansas Arkansas Diversity Educator Convening
Recruitment will begin this Spring for Cohort #4. You can also find out more information about the Teach Plus Arkansas Policy Fellowship by visiting teachplus.org.
Join Our Network or Nominate Teachers to join by visiting our website at teachplus.org/AR or click below:
In case you missed our previous issues you can find them here!
For more information or to stay in the loop, visit our website, follow us on social media, or contact the Executive Director directly at smcadoo@teachplus.org.
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