Sarah Flood

• Create & maintain a positive, respectful, and productive classroom environment for all students. Promote an inclusive atmosphere by ensuring that all students, regardless of background or ability, feel valued and supported.
• Conduct formative and summative assessments to evaluate student progress & track academic growth.
• Differentiate teaching methods to accommodate various learning styles and abilities. Provide additional support for struggling students and enriched activities for advanced learners.
• Maintain regular communication with parents/guardians regarding student progress, behavior, and achievements. Organize parent-teacher conferences to address concerns and set goals for student improvement.
• Actively participate in ongoing training and workshops to stay current with teaching methods and educational trends. Apply new strategies and technologies to enhance classroom engagement.
• Work closely and collaboratively amongst my team of first grade teachers, 5 of us in all. We thrive as teachers due to our team effort approach to running the first grade. Fair distribution of roles, analyzing of academic data to create targeted small groups for students to enhance learning and our provided support to one another create a smooth school year for all.
• Design, plan & create daily lesson plans, including all of the Social Studies & Science content taught throughout the school year for the First Grade Team. A Social Studies Unit I am most proud of creating is the Indigenous Studies Unit. Teaching of this Unit provides students with a rich understanding of the diverse cultures, histories, and traditions of Indigenous communities, particularly those in and around the region of Western North Carolina. Learning about early Indigenous communities is such an important way to connect students with the roots of American history, highlighting the deep connection Indigenous peoples have to the land, their ways of life, and their contributions to society.
• Design, plan & create Diversity lessons that align with our schoolwide Statement of Inclusivity. An excerpt, "In addition to traditional holidays and celebrations, the school also incorporates celebrations that represent diverse and historically marginalized and/or oppressed groups from around the globe."
• Design, plan & create the First Grade Weekly Family Newsletter that details what students have learned in all fields of study: Math, ELA, Social Studies & Science, SEL (Social Emotional Learning) and Diversity Lessons.
• Design, plan & create the weekly HLO (Home Learning Opportunity) packet for the First Grade Team that goes home with all first graders. This includes a cover sheet with a brief outline for each subject included in the packet (Math, Social Emotional Learning at home & ELA). Sending home quality SEL resources that align with what students have been taught in the classroom is incredibly valuable. It helps reinforce important skills, such as self-awareness, emotional regulation, and interpersonal communication, outside of the school environment. This continuity between home and school can deepen students' understanding and provide families with the tools to support their children's growth in these areas. It also encourages collaboration between teachers, students, and families in fostering a supportive learning environment.
• Serve as the First Grade Level Representative on the Guiding Coalition Committee (School Improvement Team).

• Designed, planned and created all content taught to the third grade classroom I took over in the middle of the year as my journey of a teacher began, this being my first classroom.
• Guided students academically, socially & emotionally through the remainder of their scool year.

As a nanny, I played a vital role in the early development of two children, guiding them from infancy into their preschool years. In this position, I wasn’t just a caregiver but also a key influence in shaping their emotional, cognitive, and physical growth. The responsibilities of a nanny go beyond simply looking after children—they involve creating a safe, nurturing environment that encourages exploration, learning & exposure to multicultural experiences.

From the moment I became part of the family, I took on responsibilities such as feeding, changing, and comforting infants, ensuring their health and happiness. As the children grew, I engaged in activities that fostered their development, like reading, playing educational games, introducing basic routines that helped them feel secure and supported. I also found deep importance in taking the young children out to experience their community. I found that can be a fantastic way to teach them about the world around them, foster a sense of belonging, and help them develop social and observational skills.

• Taught group and private swim instruction to students varying in ages and skill levels, ranging from infancy to adulthood.
• Developed and executed daily swim lesson plans for small and large groups, as well as private students.
• Withheld & kept up to date with a Lifeguard Certification and served as a lifeguard between scheduled swim lessons.
• Team member in the Child Care Development Center, serving care to young children (infancy- elementary age).