Paula Hughes

Highly experienced elementary Instructional Coach and classroom teacher with an expertise and passion for reading and language arts seeking an opportunity to provide professional learning to educational staff. Adept at collaborating with administrators and teachers, motivating students, and establishing a strong rapport with all individuals. Outstanding work ethic, communication, and organizational skills.

District Elementary Equity Committee - original member of this team that supports the district equity stance, with a goal to increase equitable practices.  We strive to provide access, experiences, and opportunities through an inclusive student-centered environment, and develop systemic practices that allow all student to learn from others that represent a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.  Specifically, since its inception in 2021, this elementary equity committee has conducted audits of classroom libraries, purchasing literature that is representative of the overall Vernon population.  Students should see themselves and others reflected in the diverse texts available to them.  Additional read aloud texts that teach about and celebrate differences were purchased for all PreK-5th grade classrooms.  Questions, activities, and discussions centered on these books and their social themes increase teachers' and students' ability to speak out when faced with issues of bias, racism, gender, and other inequities.  Finally, the schools' physical, social, and emotional climates honor the community's differences.  

New Teacher Academy - developed the first New Teacher Academy program in 2014 for Vernon Public Schools for first and second year teachers.  This academy has continued and grown during the past 10 years to include a 2-day summer institute devoted to relationship building, classroom management, and organizational skills. Monthly meetings thereafter dive deeper into instruction and curriculum. The individual coaching partnerships then focus on skills and strategies presented during the monthly meetings, whereby coaches model lessons from the curriculum, co-plan lessons with teachers, observe new teachers instructing, and provide timely and purposeful feedback on best practices.  The feedback received from the participants in the Academy has been outstanding.  Novice teachers feel prepared and supported through this initiative.