Kelly Grady
Fort Lauderdale
Summary
Results-driven educational leader with extensive experience in curriculum design and staff development. Proven track record of fostering collaboration among diverse teams, driving impactful educational initiatives, and significantly improving teacher retention through effective professional development and mentoring/onboarding programs.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Associate Director of Curriculum & Instruction
American Heritage School
Plantation
08.2023 - Current
- Strategic Leadership & Team Management: Led and mentored a cross-functional team of five curriculum specialists/Instructional coaches across two campuses, ensuring instructional alignment for a comprehensive PK–12 program.
- Cultivated culture of continuous growth through bi-weekly 1:1 coaching sessions, aligning individual professional goals with successful campus-wide academic initiatives.
- Facilitated cross-campus department meetings to bridge geographical gaps and standardize rigorous instructional practices across all content and grade levels, enhancing instructional consistency.
- Curriculum Design & Educational Programming: Designed and executed comprehensive professional development programs tailored to the diverse needs of veteran staff, administrative leadership, and new teachers.
- Strategic Communication & Change Management: Authored a high-impact monthly newsletter to streamline communication, providing staff with curated instructional resources, data insights, and curriculum updates.
- New Teacher Onboarding & Retention: Onboarded and mentored new faculty through targeted orientation and ongoing support structures, significantly reducing first-year teacher burnout.
- Spearheaded "Curriculum Cafe," a monthly open-forum initiative across dual campuses, transforming traditional support into an accessible, collaborative environment for teachers.
English Department Chair
American Heritage School
Plantation
08.2020 - 08.2023
- Performance Evaluation & Academic Leadership: Managed a team of six English faculty members by executing the full cycle of annual performance evaluations, including formal classroom observations and structured post-conferencing to ensure the achievement of long-term academic goals.
- Literacy Framework & Curriculum Alignment: Led the vertical and horizontal alignment of the English curriculum to ensure a cohesive developmental progression of reading and writing skills across all grade levels.
- Data-Driven Instructional Improvement: Analyzed student performance data from standardized testing and internal assessments to identify achievement gaps and implement targeted instructional interventions.
- Instructional Leadership & Faculty Mentorship: Provided ongoing actionable feedback and pedagogical support to teachers, fostering a culture of reflective practice and high instructional standards.
- Standardized Assessment Strategy: Spearheaded the development and grading calibration of common benchmarks and rubrics to ensure grading equity and consistency across the department.
- Collaborative Professional Learning Communities (PLCs): Facilitated weekly PLC meetings focused on collaborative lesson planning, text selection for diverse learners, and the integration of modern literacy tools.
Reading Specialist/English Teacher
American Heritage School
Plantation
08.2016 - 08.2023
- Implemented interventions for struggling readers to improve literacy skills.
- Developed individualized reading plans for students in grades K-6 with reading challenges.
- Conducted literary assessments (BAS, GORT, CTOPP) to identify students' reading levels and progress.
- Collaborated with teachers to integrate literacy strategies into classroom instruction.
- Designed engaging lesson plans using diverse teaching strategies.
- Facilitated classroom discussions to enhance student understanding and participation.
- Integrated technology tools to support interactive learning experiences.
- Provided professional development workshops for staff on effective reading practices.
- Supported parents with resources to enhance reading at home.
Education
Master of Science - Reading
Barry University
Miami, FL12-2003
Bachelor of Science - Communications
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL05-1998
Skills
- Curriculum Design
- Educational Programming
- Instructional Coaching
- Professional Development
- Teacher Onboarding
- Staff Development
- Team Management
- Strategic Leadership
- Cross-Campus Operations
Certification
- Professional Florida Educator Certificate - Reading K-12
- Professional Florida Educator Certificate - English 6-12
- Professional Florida Educator Certificate - English 5-9
- Professional Florida Educator Certificate - Exceptional Student Education K-12
- Professional Florida Educator Certificate - ESOL Endorsement
- Orton-Gillingham Trained
- Linda Mood-Bell Trained
- CPR/AED Certified
- Active Violence Immediate Response Trained (AVIRT)
Timeline
Associate Director of Curriculum & Instruction
American Heritage School
08.2023 - Current
English Department Chair
American Heritage School
08.2020 - 08.2023
Reading Specialist/English Teacher
American Heritage School
08.2016 - 08.2023
Master of Science - Reading
Barry University
Bachelor of Science - Communications
Florida State University