Jennifer Hightower
League City,TX
Summary
Literacy-focused instructional leader with 24 years in K–5 education and deep expertise in Elementary RLA.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Literacy Instructional Coach
G.H. Whitcomb Elementary
08.2024 - Current
- Led coaching cycles to enhance teacher performance and improve student outcomes through targeted classroom visits and support.
- Coached K–5 teachers on literacy strategies; optimized unit internalization cycles, jointly led internalization segments, and bolstered classroom instruction transfer.
- Implemented research-driven RLA strategies by modeling best practices.
- Developed and facilitated biannual district professional development sessions, strengthening teacher implementation via job-embedded coaching.
- Partnered with Curriculum Coordinators and campus administration to enhance curriculum alignment, pacing structures, and coherence of common formative assessments.
- Facilitated discussions in PLCs to review student work and adjust intervention strategies.
- Contributed to CCISD summer curriculum writing team (2023–present) advancing unit guide revisions and optimizing common assessments.
- Strengthened campus leadership initiatives post Lead4Ward involvement by designing tools, PD resources, and data protocols.
Teacher
G.H. Whitcomb Elementary
08.2021 - 05.2024
- Instructed ELA, math, science, and social studies using TEKS-aligned Tier 1 instruction and differentiated small groups for Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions, enhancing individualized student learning.
- Collaborated within PLCs to analyze formative and summative data, guiding intervention planning and improving instructional practices.
- Facilitated collaboration among 2nd grade educators as Grade Level Chair, fostering a cohesive teaching environment and supporting curriculum alignment.
Teacher (Grades 2–4)
W.G. Schneckenburger Elementary
01.2005 - 01.2021
- Served as IGNITE District Teacher Leader Fellow and ELA Content Leader Fellow, facilitated districtwide standards-based RLA implementation.
- Chaired 2nd grade level team and collaborated on instructional leadership team initiatives to enhance literacy outcomes.
- Led K–2 early literacy initiatives, coordinating foundational reading monitoring and intervention strategies while supporting teachers.
- Designed and edited district ELA assessments, ensuring alignment with formative assessment systems for improved instructional effectiveness.
- Mentored student teachers and residents, providing feedback on instructional practice and lesson design.
Teacher (Grades 4–5)
G.W. Carver Primary
Gonzales, USA
01.2002 - 01.2005
- Implemented standards-based instruction, enhancing campus literacy and math initiatives.
- Participated in school committees and led family engagement efforts to foster community involvement.
Education
M.Ed. - Educational Administration
Lamar University
Beaumont, TX09.2025
B.A. - Elementary Education (Grades 1–8)
Southeastern Louisiana University
Hammond05-2002
Skills
- RLA Curriculum & Assessment Alignment
- Unit Internalization & Lesson Study
- Instructional Coaching & Feedback Cycles
- Common formative assessment design
- PLC Facilitation & Teacher Leadership Development
- Intervention Planning (At-Risk & Advanced Learners)
- Job-embedded professional learning and PD design
- Cross-Campus Collaboration & Implementation Fidelity
- Technology-Enhanced Instruction
Honors And Professional Memberships
- Kappa Delta Pi — International Honor Society in Education
- Phi Kappa Phi — National Honor Society
- Dean’s List; Summa Cum Laude
Professional Development Delivered
- 08/24, RBIS 1, CCISD common messaging, and 3rd grade planning support for Unit 1.
- 02/25, RBIS 4, CCISD common messaging, and 2nd grade curriculum support.
- 08/25, CCISD common messaging and 4th grade Unit 2 internalization.
Literacy Coaching Accomplishments
- Accelerated Kindergarten foundational literacy: Composite increased (+17), with major gains in NWF Decoding (+36) and Word Reading (+35).
- Strengthened 3rd‑grade TEKS mastery with improvements in Editing (+13.7), Context Clues (+13.6), and Revising (+11.8).
- Improved 5th‑grade comprehension, achieving a +37.5 increase in Key Ideas.
- Built a strong cohort pipeline: 2nd graders exited with 63% Composite, 79% ORF Accuracy, and 67% Word Reading.
- Literacy instructional coach for K–5 teachers (08/24–Present), leading unit internalization cycles (K–1 on campus; 2–5 in district cohorts across four schools).
- Experienced district PD designer/facilitator (twice annually) and contributor to CCISD summer curriculum teams (2023–present).
- Collaborative partner with district and campus leadership; attended Lead4Ward with principal for two consecutive years to translate insights into actionable teacher tools.
- Broad content experience in ELA, math, science, and social studies with strongest specialization in RLA.
Timeline
Literacy Instructional Coach
G.H. Whitcomb Elementary
08.2024 - Current
Teacher
G.H. Whitcomb Elementary
08.2021 - 05.2024
Teacher (Grades 2–4)
W.G. Schneckenburger Elementary
01.2005 - 01.2021
Teacher (Grades 4–5)
G.W. Carver Primary
01.2002 - 01.2005
M.Ed. - Educational Administration
Lamar University
B.A. - Elementary Education (Grades 1–8)
Southeastern Louisiana University