Kela Murchison
Las Cruces,NM
Summary
Throughout my professional life, through all transitions, my driving focus has remained unwavering in the commitment to serve my community with my heart and soul. My primary purpose has always been to make a positive difference in the lives or the conditions of the people and their environment in which they live. Bringing community together toward a common goal is one of the most important impacts one could make.
I believe that every voice in our diverse communities should have the opportunity to be heard and valued, and that every person should have a path to discover their potential!
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Instructional Leader
- Designed and delivered Foundational Reading series/Balanced Literacy Alignment PD to 3rd Grade district cohort.
- Jan Richardson’s Guided Reading: Delivered PD to 5th Grade district cohort.
- Designed & delivered Kate Kinsella’s Vocabulary Toolkit & E3D Oral Language practices to school sites within the district.
Summer School Program Lead
Franklin McKinley School District-Dahl Elementary
01.2016
- Served as Site Administration for the Summer School Program at Dahl Elementary School.
- Instructional Leadership for the district Guided Reading initiative.
- Design, organize, coordinate, and implement program performance and school events, assemblies, parent involvement, and coordinated drop off & pick up protocols.
- Established a trusted, secure, and compassionate educational culture in each classroom and among the students and staff during the weeks of summer school.
5th Grade Teacher
East Picacho Elementary, LCPS
07.2021 - Current
- Design engaging and effective learning activities and collaborative project-based tasks to foster critical thinking and academic growth in all students in a diverse learning community.
- Incorporate the principles and best practices of nationally adopted and accredited curriculum and programs to enhance the capacities of all students.
- Design scaffolded and differentiated instructional lessons to reach students at all proficiency levels, both academically and socially/emotionally.
- Collaborate with educational colleagues to analyze data, share strengths and weaknesses in instructional practice in order to build and implement effective and strategic learning activities that result in student achievement.
- Communicate with all stakeholders (parents included) to establish action plans for individual student growth and achievement through intentional standards-based instruction that increases the capacities for all in a diverse community of learners.
- Design and facilitate higher levels of connectivity by exploring and creating connections and applications across disciplines, that resonate as relevant to students.
- As a member of the school site leadership team, I have contributed a variety of suggestions to improve the daily experience of school and procedures for students, and for staff, and helped to build the school’s 90-Day plan for achievement, which includes a subset of components.
- Analyze data to generate a targeted and effective plan to make a difference in the individual and overall growth of academic progress across multiple grade levels.
7th Grade Teacher
Stonegate Elementary, FMSD
08.2020 - 01.2021
- Designed and Facilitated the learning and growth of students through the use of innovative virtual platforms during a 100% Remote Learning school year.
- Designed standards-based Language Arts & History/Social Studies lessons and activities that engaged students in discovery and growth in the areas of World History and Literacy.
- Fostered interpersonal connections with these students and provided tools and strategies for these youth and their families to receive support for the many social-emotional transitional hardships caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
District Instructional Coach
Franklin McKinley School District
08.2014 - 06.2020
- Instructional Coaching K-8 District-wide: Coaching at various school sites within the district.
- Contributed to the district’s overall Student Achievement rating.
- Empower individual educators with best practices, which resulted in student engagement and academic growth.
- Supported educators in the implementation of district-adopted curriculum & initiatives.
- Facilitated teams of educators in structured Professional Learning Community meetings (PLCs) to increase the impact teachers have in the classroom. My work with educators in my role as Coach not only contributed to teacher efficacy and confidence, but had positive results for student achievement across the district.
- Designed and delivered Professional Development to cohorts of educators district-wide, increasing their capacity to engage students in learning through implementation of district-adopted initiatives, such as Balanced Literacy across all content areas.
- Contributed to more equitable and culturally responsive instructional practices in many classrooms across the district.
- Through a structured and measured model, I conducted classroom & instructional observations and feedback cycles to generate reflection in order to improve practices in the classroom.
- I served as school site Assessment Coordinator: Organized staff trainings, presented state and federal compliance security regulations to staff, created & facilitated testing schedules of school-wide assessments, prepared and organized testing materials.
- Contributed to the transformation of a less effective traditional model of learning and teaching to a differentiated, scaffolded, and equitable instructional model where every student has access to the standards and grade level concepts of study.
Education
Bachelor of Arts Degree - Theatre Arts Major & Dance Minor
University of Oregon
20+ Graduate Credits & Teaching Credential - undefined
University of California Santa Cruz, SJSU, National University, Vanguard University, University of Sioux Falls, University of the Pacific
Skills
*Organization
*Working knowledge of digital tools, word processing, and various technology resources
*Interpersonal skills
*Writing
*Group facilitation/leadership
*Multi-tasking & prioritizing
Accomplishments
National Board of Certified Teachers
Professional Clear Multiple Subject Teaching Credential
Educational Administrator's Service Credential
Certification
- Level 3-B Administrator License-NMPED
- National Board for the Professional Teaching Standards Certification- NMPED
- Level 3-A Instructional Leader K-8 Elementary Teaching License-NMPED
Languages
English
Timeline
5th Grade Teacher
East Picacho Elementary, LCPS
07.2021 - Current
7th Grade Teacher
Stonegate Elementary, FMSD
08.2020 - 01.2021
Summer School Program Lead
Franklin McKinley School District-Dahl Elementary
01.2016
District Instructional Coach
Franklin McKinley School District
08.2014 - 06.2020
Instructional Leader
20+ Graduate Credits & Teaching Credential - undefined
University of California Santa Cruz, SJSU, National University, Vanguard University, University of Sioux Falls, University of the Pacific
Bachelor of Arts Degree - Theatre Arts Major & Dance Minor
University of Oregon
Training
- Marzano PD series: Proficiency Scales training & Standards-Based Learning Training, LCPS
- LETRS Units 1 & 2 Completion, currently participating in Unit 3
- Restorative Practices, LCPS
- UC Davis: California History/Social Studies Project (2020 Grade Group PD Series): Statewide collaboration course/PD- CA HSS Framework Content & Instruction
- Adaptive School Training
- Elena Aguilar’s Art of Coaching Conference
- Multicultural Educational ELD Professional Development, Santa Clara Office of Education
- Cognitive Coaching (Advanced)
- International Center on Leadership in Education Model Schools Conferences
- DuFour/Solution Tree PLC Training
- Step Up to Writing Training
- Jan Richardson’s Guided Reading
- Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures
- Kate Kinsella’s Academic Vocabulary Toolkit/ELD
MAUI ACADEMY OF PERFORMING ARTS
Prior to becoming a credentialed teacher, I was a Stage Manager, Prop Master, Actor, Choreographer, and Director for mainstage and educational program performance events for this non-profit, still currently, producing high quality live theatre shows. My years in the Performing Arts have equipped my skill set with numerous abilities, including the work ethic that has been the key to my years of employment success. Communication skills, organization, meeting deadlines, and engaging others in a purpose, as well as event or show production, are skills that have carried forth into every job and classroom that I have successfully facilitated.