NASHVILLE — Teachers from Bartlett, Collierville and Shelby County schools are among the 49 selected for the 2016-17 class of the Tennessee Educator Fellowship, a program that helps elevate teacher voice in the state.
“Teachers have a proven, significant role in helping students achieve at higher levels, and Tennes-see 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 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 local teachers chosen as 2016-17 Tennessee Educator Fellows are as follows:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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. Stein Lee teaches grades 10-12 algebra at Overton High School in Shelby County Schools. Lee has been teaching for 10 years.
- Jennifer Moore teaches third grade at Gordon Achievement Academy in Shelby County Schools. Moore has been teaching for 20 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.
- 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.
The new Fellows will convene for the first time in July. Throughout the upcoming year, they 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.
The State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to the goal that every student in Tennessee graduates from high school prepared for postsecondary education and the work force. SCORE drives collaboration across the state on policy and practice to ensure student success. For more information about SCORE, visit tnscore.org.
