Kimberly Ledford

It is my belief that all students deserve an equal education. When given the opportunity to pilot a curriculum that would allow teachers to be freed up from the responsibility of "search and find", I jumped at the chance. I knew this could only grow me professionally and prepare me for whatever changes were "coming down." I quickly saw that this curriculum was not only rigorous for students, but also for teachers. I knew that it would take training and time to begin to feel comfortable with this new approach.

I was happy to put in the time, and open to "trusting the process," while also holding on to what I felt I knew was best for students. As I studied and reflected, I grew more confident that this curriculum and instructional shift was going to push us toward proficiency and level the playing field for all students across the county.

The next step was to grow more comfortable with the Intellectual Prep Protocol. I was asked to lead these sessions as grade level chair of 1st grade at the time. I quickly discovered that partnering this protocol with high leverage curriculum and skilled literacy coaches, our students would be more likely to reach their full potential. I saw student confidence grow as they began to goal set, reflect on their own data, and take more ownership of their learning. By know, I was fully bought in. Then I was asked to move to third grade and support the team with my knowledge of phonics, hoping to catch and fill gaps as these students worked to meet proficiency on TCAP. I was nervous but thrilled to do so. I have seen tremendous student success, and continued to grow in my leadership abilities, while also learning from some of the most skilled educators in the county. Our school was able to achieve Reward status this past year and I am proud to say that I directly impacted these student test scores beginning all the way in K and up through 3rd grade, as I was able to have several students for a second time!

Teacher of the Year- 2016

News Channel 2 Teacher of the Month 2016