Teaching Policy Fellow
8th grade ELA
Harshman Middle School
Indianapolis Public Schools
- Indianapolis
Idalmi Acosta is a Teach Plus Indianapolis Teaching Policy Fellow. Idalmi teaches 8th grade ELA at Harshman Magnet Middle School in Indianapolis. As a youth organizer in New York City for five years, she recruited and trained students in the northwest Bronx to fight for changes to the education system at low-performing schools in the Bronx. She ran local, citywide, and national campaigns to promote the use of restorative justice to deal with discipline, reduce the role of police in schools, and provide more college readiness supports for students. Idalmi is a Teach For America alumna. She graduated from Syracuse University with a BA in Political Science and a BA in English and earned a Masters in Teaching from Marian University.
Teaching Policy Fellow
6th grade teacher
KIPP Indy College Prep Middle School
Charter School
- Indianapolis
Margaret (Meg) Amarante is a Teach Plus Indianapolis Teaching Policy Fellow. Meg teaches 5th-8th grade self-contained science at KIPP Indy College Prep Middle School, where she supports inclusion 6th grade math and literacy as the grade level Teacher of Record as well as facilitates SPED-specific professional development for her peer teachers. Previously, she worked as a special educator at TC Howe Community High School, teaching 9th-12th self-contained English. Meg graduated from Purdue University with a BA in Biology and a minor in English and received her Master’s in Teaching with a focus on Special Education from Marian University.
Teaching Policy Fellow
3rd grade teacher
Paramount School of Excellence
Charter School
- Indianapolis
Jill Armington is a Teach Plus Indianapolis Teaching Policy Fellow who teaches 3rd grade at Paramount School of Excellence. Jill began her teaching career as a Title I Reading and Mathematics teacher for students in grades 3-8 at Andrew Academy. There, she developed a new school-wide data tracking system and ran an after-school enrichment club. An active member of the community, Jill coordinated the Eat Well Club, an initiative of local non-profit Growing Places Indy, for elementary and middle school students to learn about gardening and healthy living. Most recently, she was the August 2015 Teacher of the Month at Paramount. Jill graduated from the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State University with a BA in Sociology and a BA in International Politics. She earned her MA in Teaching from Marian University.
Teaching Policy Fellow
10th grade English teacher
Indianapolis Metropolitan High School
- Indiana
London Bailey is a 2018-19 Teach Plus Indiana Teaching Policy Fellow. London teaches 10th grade English at Indianapolis Metropolitan High School in Indianapolis, where she also serves as an assistant coach of the Lady Pumas basketball team. London is a member of Indianapolis Met's Academic Committee, which analyzes student data to set curricular strategy and ensure student success and has worked to design Indianapolis Met's first ISTEP Mastery Week with the goal of bridging knowledge gaps for students taking the English ISTEP. London has worked with Enroll Indy to inform families across Indianapolis of the new school registration platform for public and charter schools. A 2016 Teach For America alumna, she graduated from Franklin and Marshall College with a BA in Government and History and received her MA in Teaching from Marian University.
TLPL Teacher Leader
Special education specialist
Indianapolis Public Schools
- Indianapolis
Samantha Bandy is a Teach Plus Indianapolis Change Agent. Samantha supports schools in the West Learning Community of Indianapolis Public Schools as a special education specialist. She has served in various leadership positions, such as special education compliance monitor, response to intervention coordinator, and a member of the school improvement team while teaching at KIPP Indianapolis College Preparatory and Indianapolis Lighthouse Charter School. She was voted Teacher of the Year for 2015-2016 while teaching special education at Carpe Diem Innovative School Shadeland. Samantha graduated from the University of Evansville with a BS in Elementary Education with a minor in Social Studies Education and received her certificate in Mild Interventions from Indiana Wesleyan University and her MEd in Education Administration and Supervision from Ball State University.
Teaching Policy Fellow
8th grade math teacher
KIPP Indy College Prep Middle School
Charter School
- Indiana
Kathleen Barbosa is a 2018-19 Teach Plus Indiana Teaching Policy Fellow. Kathleen teaches 8th grade math at KIPP Indy College Prep Middle School, N IPS Innovation School, on the near-east side of Indianapolis she she serves as the student council sponsor. Kathleen was a KIPP Emerging Leader Fellow working on math intervention resources for her school. Kathleen is a Teach for America Indianapolis alumna. She graduated from Truman State University with a BA in English and Communication and received her MA in Secondary Education from Marian University.
Teaching Policy Fellow
Elementary Literacy Coach
Wendell Phillips Elementary School
Indianapolis Public Schools
- Indianapolis
Shawnta S. Barnes is a Teach Plus Indianapolis Teaching Policy Fellow who is a Literacy Coach at Wendell Phillips Elementary School. She also teaches Psycholinguistics for Reading Teachers at Indiana University – Indianapolis. Previously, she has taught English grades 6-9 and has been an elementary English language learner teacher. She is a current teach plus policy fellow of the Indianapolis cohort. She earned her BA in English education from Purdue University and her MS in language education from IUPUI.
TLPL Teacher Leader
Literacy coach
Robert Lee Frost Elementary School #106
Indianapolis Public Schools
- Indianapolis
Bonnie Benson is a Teach Plus Indianapolis Change Agent. Bonnie is a literacy coach at Robert Lee Frost Elementary School, where she has planned and led professional learning community meetings, planned and implemented Saturday learning opportunities for third grade students, and served as summer building facilitator. Bonnie graduated from the University of Indianapolis with a BS in Education and received her MS in Education from Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, a Gifted and Talented Endorsement from Purdue University, and completed her Principal Certification Program from Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis.
Teaching Policy Fellow
High school geometry and algebra teacher
George Washington Community High School
Indianapolis Public Schools
- Indiana
Disha Bhagwat is a 2018-19 Teach Plus Indiana Teaching Policy Fellow. Disha teaches geometry and algebra II at George Washington Community High School in Indianapolis, where she also sponsors student government. Disha serves as a teacher leader for Indianapolis Public Schools in the Human Resources department. A Teach for America alumna, Disha graduated from University of California, Los Angeles with a BA in Economics and Anthropology and received her MAT from Marian University.
Teaching Policy Fellow
High school math teacher
Irvington Preparatory Academy
Irvington Community Schools
- Indianapolis
Alissa Birch is a Teach Plus Indianapolis Teaching Policy Fellow. Alissa teaches high school mathematics at Irvington Preparatory Academy, where she helps prepare students for the Algebra I End of Course Assessment during math lab. As a Teacher Advancement Program Mentor Teacher at Irvington, Alissa provides guidance and constructive feedback to her colleagues throughout the school year. She is also the co-sponsor of IPA’s National Honor Society. Alissa previously taught at Irvington Preparatory Academy and at Calumet New Tech High School in Gary, IN. Alissa was recognized as a contributor of the Independent Colleges of Indiana’s “Realizing the Dream” Scholarship in 2013. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Central Michigan University with a BS in Secondary Education for Mathematics and Earth Science.