Jacqueline Tortorello
Reno
Summary
As an educational leader, I bring expertise in secondary humanities instruction, curriculum design, and practicum coordination, while mentoring teacher interns and implementing student-centered, culturally responsive, and inclusive practices that advance equity, diversity, and data-driven instruction.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
2
2
Certifications
Work History
English Teacher & PLC Lead
North Valleys High School
Reno
08.2022 - Current
- Serve as the Personal Learning Community Lead, and initiate collaboration focused on instructional alignment, data-informed decision-making, and equity-centered practice; mentor and train new teachers on curriculum standards and classroom management.
- Serve as an active member of the School Performance Framework Committee, supporting data review, school improvement planning, and equity-centered performance initiatives.
- Contributed to school-wide engagement efforts during the 2023-2024 school year as a member of the Community Involvement Committee.
- Design and deliver a culturally sustaining curriculum grounded in literacy development, identity affirmation, and inclusive learning for freshman students.
- Provide responsive differentiation and accommodations for multilingual learners, Indigenous students, students with disabilities, students with 504 plans, and Gifted and Talented learners.
- Maintain inclusive, relationship-centered classrooms prioritizing belonging, academic growth, and social-emotional wellness; collaborate with junior and senior student mentors to design and facilitate SEL programming for freshmen.
- Communicate regularly with families in English and Spanish to strengthen engagement, partnership, and support.
- Ensure equitable academic access by posting lessons, materials, and grades to Canvas, and provide ongoing English tutoring support.
- Translate instructional content into Spanish to support English language learners, and improve accessibility.
- Conduct weekly one-on-one student conferences focused on academic progress, reading development, goal setting, and personal growth.
- Facilitate class discussions that promote critical thinking, student voice, and active participation; evaluate student learning using multiple assessments and provide constructive feedback.
- Maintain accurate records of student progress through consistent monitoring and documentation.
Creative Writing Teacher & Department Lead
Clayton Middle School
Reno
10.2022 - 08.2023
- Served as Department Lead, providing leadership in program coordination, instructional collaboration, and equity-focused improvement.
- Taught students in an alternative education setting, representing diverse cultural, linguistic, Indigenous, and socio-economic backgrounds.
- Organize quarterly field experiences to the Sierra Arts Foundation Literary Community, the Holland Project, Brushfire Poetry Open Mic, and the Reno Public Library.
- Organized postsecondary readiness experiences, including University of Nevada, Reno, exposure opportunities.
- Implemented trauma-informed, restorative, and culturally responsive instructional practices.
- Participated in PLC initiatives centered on inclusive instructional strategies, data reflection, and student support systems.
- Designed targeted instructional supports using SBAC, ACCESS, behavioral, and academic indicators.
- Built meaningful home-school partnerships through proactive and multilingual communication.
- Facilitated Genius Hour and creative writing programming uplifting student identity, culture, storytelling, and voice.
8th Grade English and Creative Writing Teacher
Silverland Middle School (Title 1)
Fernley
07.2020 - 06.2021
- Taught ELA and Creative Writing to in-person and virtual classes of 35 students.
- Developed and differentiated curriculum for diverse learners (IEPs, 504s, GT, ELLs) with a focus on cultural responsivity, equity, and supporting Indigenous students.
- Pre-recorded lessons and managed virtual learning via Screencastify and Edgenuity.
- Integrated digital tools (Padlet, Flipgrid, Kahoot, Evernote, Factile, Canva) to enhance engagement and promote inclusive participation.
- Connected with virtual students daily via Zoom/Google Hangouts; assessed mastery using Google Forms to inform equitable instruction.
- Facilitated discussions emphasizing rhetorical strategies, social equity, and active reading skills.
- Organized reading/learning groups and oversaw collaborative projects using digital platforms.
- I taught novels (Monster, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Land) using Loom and ClassFlow, incorporating culturally relevant perspectives.
- Provided feedback within 48 hours via Google Classroom and Pear Deck.
- Communicated student progress weekly to parents via email, phone, and text.
6th Grade English Teacher and Team Lead
Strive Prep Lake
Denver
07.2018 - 06.2020
- Led a team of six teachers, driving strategies for growth mindset, collaborative planning, and community-building initiatives across grade-level and schoolwide programs.
- Directed curriculum development and delivery for 6th grade English, ensuring lessons were culturally responsive and aligned with equity frameworks.
- Designed and facilitated daily pull-out lessons for students with significant social-emotional and behavioral needs (PTSD, anxiety, ADHD, ODD, kleptomania), modeling differentiated instruction for colleagues.
- Coordinated schoolwide initiatives, including three annual field trips and a book fair serving low-income families, integrating logistics, staffing, and instructional alignment.
- Submitted weekly lesson exemplars to administration, providing data-driven insights and instructional leadership for continuous improvement.
- Completed Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion training and led efforts to embed culturally sustaining pedagogy, restorative practices, and trauma-informed instruction across classrooms.
- Collaborated with leadership and instructional teams to align classroom practices with school climate, assessment strategies, and equity goals.
- Strengthened family and community partnerships through bilingual communication and culturally responsive engagement, modeling effective outreach practices for staff.
- Facilitated student voice through reflective writing, discussions, and identity-affirming learning environments, promoting student-centered leadership in classrooms.
- Monitored student literacy outcomes and led instructional planning to address proficiency gaps, supporting school goals for academic achievement.
Associate Reporter
Emlen Media
Denver
07.2016 - 01.2017
- Researched, pitched, and wrote articles on green building, sustainable construction, and energy-efficient design, producing 2,000+ words per week.
- Adhered to AP Style guidelines and self-edited all work for clarity and accuracy.
- Conducted interviews with sources via phone and Skype; cultivated professional relationships to support reporting.
- Managed editorial calendar, coordinated deadlines, and organized interviews for short- and long-form content.
- Updated social media accounts with newsworthy content to engage target audiences.
- Reported for a B2B publication covering sustainable designs for schools, hospitals, and prisons.
Director of Social Media and Communications
Angel Water Inc.
Chicago
07.2015 - 06.2016
- Write one 500-word blog per day on water education, water news and water conservation.
- Design daily Facebook posts that create interaction, commentary and feedback among followers.
- Respond to followers in a timely manner.
- Work as the Director of Social Media to educate consumers on the importance of clean water.
Education
Some College (No Degree) - Secondary Teaching License
Nevada Department of Education
Doctor of Education - Educational Leadership
University of Nevada, Reno
Reno, NVMaster of Arts - Educational Leadership
University of Nevada, Reno
Reno, Nevada 12-2025
Master of Arts - Journalism
DePaul University
Chicago, IL08.2015
Bachelor's of Arts - Journalism
DePaul University
Chicago, IL08.2013
Skills
- Humanities Instruction
- Secondary Education Instruction
- Curriculum Design & Implementation
- Student-Centered & Inclusive Teaching Practices
- Leadership in Educational Settings
- Mentoring & Supporting New Teachers
- Culturally Responsive Pedagogy
- Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Education
- Data-Driven Instruction & Student Progress Monitoring
Affiliations
Alliance for Educational Justice 2025- Present
Awards
- Positive Impact on Climate, Clayton Middle School, 2022
- Gold Medal in Poetry, Journalism Education Association, 2009
- Blue Ribbon Award in Column Writing, Illinois Journalism Association, 2009
- Honorable Mention, News Writing, National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA), 2009
Community Service
- Community Involvement Committee at North Valleys High School, 2022-01-01, 2025-12-31
- Team Up Tutor, 02/01/22, Present, Tutor 3rd graders twice a week at Elmcrest Elementary school in Reno, NV.
- Attend over 25 home visits with Silverland Middle School, To increase attendance and family engagement.
- Deliver daily sack lunch and breakfast to over 750 Strive Prep students, When schools were shut down in March 2020.
- Help families establish free hotspots, So students could complete work virtually when schools were shut down in March 2020.
- Invite a scholastic book fair to attend Strive Prep Lake, 2019, Fundraise profits to help purchase bilingual books for low-income students.
- Canvas local neighborhoods, 2019, To increase enrollment at Strive Prep Schools.
Published Work
- Planning Moves Ahead on $137 Million Federal Courthouse in Des Moines, Green Building News, 12/28/16
- Cincinnati's Strietmann Building Redevelopment Focuses on Sustainability, Green Building News, 12/19/16
- Cellulose Insulation Can Improve Green Design, Green Building News, 09/16/16
- The Two Faces of Facebook, The DePaulia, 03/05/12
- Celebrity-status justice strikes again, The DePaulia, 05/04/12
- Murdoch: media mogul, master manipulator, The DePaulia, 05/14/12
- Days before summit, anti-NATO voices louder than ever, The DePaulia, 05/15/12
- NATO protesters showcase variety of concerns, causes, The DePaulia, 05/20/12
- Sex crazed media culture impacts teens, The DePaulia, 06/20/12
- Obamacare: a brighter vision for the future, The DePaulia, 07/07/12
- Performers bring unique culture to Foster Ave. Beach, The DePaulia, 07/08/12
- Dark Knight Massacre: Are we to blame?, The DePaulia, 07/19/12
- America's obsession with unattainable beauty, The DePaulia, 08/02/12
- Mali's Ansar Dine want to create Islamic State, The DePaulia, 08/12/12
- Pinterest: a 1960's housewife's dream, The DePaulia, 10/11/12
- More studies conducted on alternative cancer medicine, The DePaulia, 11/25/12
- New Places, Hidden Spaces, The DePaulia, 05/09/15
- Yoga poses to relieve stress, Women's Forum, 10/11/17
- Self-care for the holidays, Women's Forum, 11/23/17
- Be yourself in 2018 and ditch the resolution, Women's Forum, 11/28/17
- Gift guides for the new mom, Women's Forum, 11/29/17
- Gameday dishes done right, Women's Forum, 01/23/18
Professional Development
- Beyond Classroom Management, 07/01/23
- Parent and Family Engagement, 10/01/21 - 12/31/21
- 21st Century Teacher, 04/01/22 - 05/31/22
- Reading Beyond the Page, 06/08/22
- Students Take the Lead!, 07/18/22
- Overcoming Educator Burnout, 07/19/22
- Why Genius Hour? Project-Based Learning for Students K-12, 07/21/22
Languages
English
Professional
Spanish
Limited
Certification
Secondary Teaching License
Accomplishments
Positive Impact on Climate at Clayton Middle School, 2022
Timeline
Creative Writing Teacher & Department Lead
Clayton Middle School
10.2022 - 08.2023
English Teacher & PLC Lead
North Valleys High School
08.2022 - Current
8th Grade English and Creative Writing Teacher
Silverland Middle School (Title 1)
07.2020 - 06.2021
6th Grade English Teacher and Team Lead
Strive Prep Lake
07.2018 - 06.2020
Associate Reporter
Emlen Media
07.2016 - 01.2017
Director of Social Media and Communications
Angel Water Inc.
07.2015 - 06.2016
Some College (No Degree) - Secondary Teaching License
Nevada Department of Education
Doctor of Education - Educational Leadership
University of Nevada, Reno
Master of Arts - Educational Leadership
University of Nevada, Reno
Master of Arts - Journalism
DePaul University
Bachelor's of Arts - Journalism
DePaul University