Bryant Fritz

Classroom Accomplishments

• Developed, administered and marketed an innovative science and engineering curriculum that bolstered middle school enrollment by an increase of 95% from 2010 to 2023 at an elite, private K-8 school
• 2014 Illinois Science Teacher of the Year and coach for the 2017 Toshiba Exploravision National Championship Team
• Pilot teacher, mentor and curriculum advisor for Project Lead the Way's STEM Initiative and 12,200 participating schools nationwide
• Planned and implemented yearly school-wide Science and Engineering Fairs for 272 students that included over 30 STEM professionals as judges to provide personalized project feedback
• Coordinated and managed partnerships with numerous departments and faculty at the University of Illinois to establish community outreach events and guest speakers aimed to inspire students to pursue careers in STEM fields
• Established positive rapport and successful working relationships with all stakeholders including students, families, teachers, administrators and community members
• Created and utilized a variety of digital assessment systems to make informed data-driven decisions that positively impacted student achievement

Leadership and Administrative Roles

• Middle School Coordinator- Led a team of 15 teachers setting weekly meeting agendas and facilitating communication between all stakeholders to drive student success, school initiatives and exemplary culture in the educational environment
• Member of the NGS Leadership Team- worked directly with administration to revise and create new school policies and benchmarks for growth that led to National Accreditation from AdvancED and Cognia in 2017
• Founder of Professional Development Committee- designed and managed meaningful school-wide professional development opportunities for all 29 K-8 teachers in the school through the creation of Professional Learning Communities
• Active mentor teacher providing tools, strategies, feedback best practices for new teachers
• Interviewed and provided feedback to administration on all potential new hires and staff candidates for demonstrated abilities and talent in the field of education
• Established and managed new systems for attainment and emotional growth such as Academic and Behavioral Support Plans

• Designed, tested and evaluated curriculum materials aligned with the goals of the Center for Power Optimization of Electro-Thermal Systems (POETS) at the University of Illinois
• Gathered, organized and presented research-based data results to the National Science Foundation, Howard University, Stanford University and the University of Arkansas to secure continued funding of the project
• Revised curriculum materials based on data points to ensure alignment with evolving project goals and standards for equity in education

• Worked with programmers from MIT, U of I and the University of Wisconsin to create and pilot City Settlers; an interdisciplinary simulation that blends the interrelatedness of economic, ecological, and social systems integral to sustainable development
• Evaluated National Learning Standards in English Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, and Mathematics to broaden educator outreach and to deepen understanding of complexities within the digital landscape of the simulation

• Promoted participation in one of the largest K-12 National STEM Contests in the world
• Presented informative materials and recruited new candidates at the National Science Teacher's Association Conference in New Orleans, LA
• Collaborated with local media outlets to generate positive press coverage for key initiatives and events surrounding the program

• Collaborated with small teams of accomplished STEM professionals and K-12 educators to create exemplary science curriclulum materials available to more than 130,000 educators statewide in Illinois
• Shared expertise in engineering to advise and integrate engineering practices into the ISBE's Next Generation Science Standards Model Curriculum Project
• Compiled and conducted pilot research to test and analyze the design, feasibility and assessment performance of curriculum within the parameters of the Equip Rubric

• Instructed a group of 24 teachers on effective ways to incorporate three dimensional learning and the Next Generation Science Standards into classroom practice
• Evaluated individual participation for Certified Professional Development Hours for state teaching licensure in Illinois
• Advised and critiqued integration methods for local teachers at Unit 4 schools in Champaign, IL

• Performed research in the field of nanotechnology and adapted methods into curriculum activities and outreach opportunities for the Center for Nanoscale Chemical-Electrical-Mechanical Manufacturing Systems (Nano-CEMMS)
• Organized interactive outreach programs for the community at Booker T. Washington Elementary School, The Champaign Public Library, and the Orpheum Children's Museum
• Collected and compiled participation data for the National Science Foundation to secure future grant funding for outreach