The State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) announced that 49 teachers have been selected for the 2016-17 class of the
Tennessee Educator Fellowship, a significant expansion of the program that helps elevate teacher voice in the state.
“Teachers have a proven, significant role in helping students achieve at higher levels, and Tennessee needs the insight of teachers on how best to sustain and accelerate student success,” SCORE Executive Chairman and CEO Jamie Woodson said.
“The Tennessee Educator Fellowship exists to empower teachers to share their student-focused perspective in the statewide conversation about preparing all students for postsecondary education and the workforce.”
The Tennessee Educator Fellowship is a yearlong program that equips teachers to advocate for their students and their profession as they continue their work in their classrooms. Entering its third year, the Fellowship has helped prepare 48 teachers to contribute to the discussion about education policy by appearing at public speaking engagements, inviting policymakers into their classrooms, writing about their education experience in state and national publications, creating regional professional networks, and serving on state-level policy committees.
“We believe the diverse perspectives and experiences of our Fellows are fundamental to the success of this experience,” said Tennessee Educator Fellowship Coordinator Peter Tang, who previously taught in Memphis and is an alumnus of the inaugural year of the Fellowship. “By bringing together thoughtful and engaged teachers from across the state, grade levels, and subjects, the Fellowship helps them to learn, reflect, and grow into confident teacher leaders.”
The Fellows chosen for 2016-17 have combined teaching experience that totals more than 580 years, ranging from three years in the classroom to more than 30. These Educator Fellows represent elementary, middle, and high schools in 28 districts across East, Middle, and West Tennessee. The members of the cohort teach English language arts, math, science, social studies, foreign language, music, career and technical education, gifted and special education, and English language learners in urban, suburban, and rural schools.
The 2016-17 Tennessee Educator Fellows are:
Erica Adkins teaches fifth-grade math and science at Bellevue Middle School in Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools. Adkins has been teaching for four years.
Mary Jane Allen teaches seventh grade English language arts at Ridgeview School in Washington County Schools. Allen has been teaching for 18 years.
August Askins teaches eighth-grade science at Holston Middle School in Knox County Schools. Askins has been teaching for 12 years.
Misty Ayres-Miranda teaches grades 9-12, English, AP Literature, and Literary Arts at Nashvile School of the Arts in Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools. Ayres-Miranda has been teaching for eight years.
Rita Black teaches grades K-4 music at Eakin Elementary School in Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools. Black has been teaching for 11 years.
Robin Boutillette teaches grades 7-8 English language arts at Avery Trace Middle School in Putnam County Schools. Boutillette has been teaching for 10 years.
Laura Brady teaches fifth grade at Edmondson Elementary School in Williamson County Schools. Brady has been teaching for 8½ years.
Kenneth Chadwell teaches grades 7-8 history at Huntsville Middle School in Scott County Schools. Chadwell has been teaching for 15 years.
Amy Crawford teaches seventh-grade English language arts at West Valley Middle School in Knox County Schools. Crawford has been teaching for 21 years.
Erin Doran teaches third grade at University School in Washington County Schools. Doran has been teaching for 14 years.
Charity Dowell teaches third-grade math and writing at Blountville Elementary School in Sullivan County Schools. Dowell has been teaching for 17 years.
Anne Duvall teaches grades 10-11 English II and III Inclusion at Overton High School in Shelby County Schools. Duvall has been teaching for 10 years.
Timothy Fariss teaches fourth-grade math and science at Dibrell Elementary School in Warren County Schools. Fariss has been teaching for 27 years.
Carly Fricano teaches tenth-grade English at The Soulsville Charter School, a public charter in Shelby County Schools, beginning with the 2016-17 school year. Fricano has been teaching for five years.
Dr. Diarese George teaches grades 10-12 accounting, business management, and dual enrollment personal finance with UT-Martin at Clarksville High School in Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools. George has been teaching for 3½ years.
Erin Glenn teaches eighth-grade social studies at East Lake Academy of Fine Arts in Hamilton County Department of Education. Glenn has been teaching for 10 years.
Jane Griggs teaches sixth-grade math at Rucker Stewart Middle School in Sumner County Schools. Griggs has been teaching for 13 years.
Christy Grubb teaches kindergarten at Sevierville Primary School in Sevier County Schools. Grubb has been teaching for 21 years.
Jenny Hatch teaches seventh-grade science and social studies at Dyersburg Middle School in Dyersburg City Schools. Hatch has been teaching for nine years.
Heather Hobbs teaches fifth-grade literacy and social studies at Andrew Johnson Elementary School in Kingsport City Schools. Hobbs has been teaching for five years.
Katie Hoffmeier teaches first-grade special education, ELL, and inclusion at KIPP Kirkpatrick, a public charter school in Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools. Hoffmeier has been teaching for three years.
Mary-Owen Holmes teaches seventh-grade social studies at Spring Hill Middle School in Maury County Public Schools. Holmes has been teaching for four years.
Charla Hurt teaches grades 11-12 economics and U.S. government at Lincoln County High School in Lincoln County Schools. Hurt has been teaching for 16 years.
Kris Krautkremer teaches grades 11-12 biology and AP Biology at Dobyns-Bennett High School in Kingsport City Schools. Krautkremer has been teaching for 29 years.
Dr. Stein Lee teaches grades 10-12 algebra at Overton High School in Shelby County Schools. Lee has been teaching for 10 years.
Clare Lundy teaches 11th-grade English at McGavock High School in Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools. Lundy has been teaching for three years.
Jennifer Moore teaches third grade at Gordon Achievement Academy in Shelby County Schools. Moore has been teaching for 20 years.
Vanessa Moore teaches ninth-grade geometry and German at Bartlett Ninth Grade Academy in Bartlett City Schools. Moore has been teaching for 24 years.
Chris Murray teaches seventh-grade writing and English language arts at Schilling Farms Middle School in Collierville Schools. Murray has been teaching for 11 years.
Kerri Newsom teaches second grade at Dyersburg Primary School in Dyersburg City Schools. Newsom has been teaching for 15 years.
Terry Nickels teaches grades 9-12 criminal justice with Greene Technology Center in Greeneville City Schools. Nickels has been teaching for 17 years.
Dr. Jolinea Pegues teaches ninth-grade English at Trezevant High School in Shelby County Schools. Pegues has been teaching for 10 years.
Emily Ragland teaches first grade at KIPP Memphis Collegiate, a public charter school in Shelby County Schools. Ragland has been teaching for seven years.
Erin Rains teaches 10th-grade English language arts at Walker Valley High School in Bradley County Schools. Rains has been teaching for 12 years.
Tina Romine teaches grades 11-12 English at Creek Wood High School in Dickson County Schools. Romine has been teaching for 11 years.
Carl Schneider teaches grades 3-5 gifted enrichment at Whitney Achievement Elementary School in the Achievement School District. Schneider has been teaching for three years.
Charlene Schwenk teaches fourth-grade math at Frazier Elementary School in Rhea County Schools. Schwenk has been teaching for 38 years.
Davida Smith-Keita teaches 12th-grade English at GRAD Academy Memphis, a public charter school in the Achievement School District. Smith-Keita has been teaching for 12 years.
Erica Stephens teaches fourth-grade math at John P. Freeman Optional School in Shelby County Schools. Stephens has been teaching for 12 years.
Terri Stephens teaches sixth-grade history at Hamilton Middle School in Shelby County Schools. Stephens has been teaching for 20 years.
Brandi Stroecker teaches grades 6-8 physical science and STEM Explorers at Maxine Smith STEAM Academy in Shelby County Schools. Stroecker has been teaching for 10 years.
Lauren Tate teaches first grade at Henry Elementary School in the Henry County School System. Tate has been teaching for six years.
Zaia Thombre teaches seventh-grade math at STEM Preparatory Academy, a public charter school in Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools. Thombre has been teaching for three years.
Lori Tucker teaches fourth-grade math and science at White Pine School in Jefferson County Schools. Tucker has been teaching for nine years.
Shannon Tufts teaches second grade at Lenoir City Elementary School in Lenoir City Schools. Tufts has been teaching for 15 years.
Rachel Turner teaches grades 11-12 economics, government, and history at Hamilton County High School in the Hamilton County Department of Education. Turner has been teaching for six years.
Joshua Vaden teaches grades 9-12 English II and journalism at Springfield High School in Robertson County Schools. Vaden has been teaching for four years.
Thomas Whisenant teaches grades 9-12 English language development at Maplewood High School in Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools. Whisenant has been teaching for 3½ years.
Cathy Whitehead teaches third grade at West Chester Elementary School in Chester County Schools. Whitehead has been teaching for six years.
The new Fellows will convene for the first time in July. Throughout the upcoming year, the Educators Fellows will learn through in-person and online seminars and will serve as liaisons between their colleagues, their communities, and policymakers as Tennessee continues the work of improving educational outcomes for all students.