Tag Archives: Elementary Teachers

WV teacher Emily Crislip Castelli garners prestigious honor

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Emily Crislip Castelli, a teacher at Salem Elementary School in Salem, West Virginia, has been named to the 2024 class of Extraordinary Educators by Curriculum Associates.  Photo Credit: Curriculum Associates

Curriculum Associates has named Emily Crislip Castelli of West Virginia to its 2024 class of Extraordinary Educators. The program annually celebrates and connects exemplary teachers in Grades K–8 from around the country. Emily is one of 32 educators from 19 states and the District of Columbia who were selected for the honor.

Emily was selected for the honor to recognize her efforts to promote growth and achievement through formal assessments, pioneering innovative engagement tactics, serving as a steward for high expectations and student achievement, and creating equitable environments for her students. Emily teaches second grade at Salem Elementary School in Salem. She has worked at the school, part of the Harrison County School District, for the past six years.

“To be an effective educator, data-driven instruction is paramount to making good decisions regarding education and intervention in the classroom,” declares Emily. “I use i-Ready data to plan small group intervention lessons to assist students with essential skills they may need extra support to become proficient. I also do monthly growth monitoring, which allows me to see if I need to change my approach in class,” she continues.

This is the fifth year of the Extraordinary Educators program. To learn more about Curriculum Associates and the 2024 Extraordinary Educators, visit this website: CurriculumAssociates.com/Extraordinary-Educators.

TN educator Missy Testerman named 2024 National Teacher of the Year

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Congratulations to ESL educator Missy Testermann of Tennessee, who has been named the 2024 National Teacher of the Year. 

Missy teaches in rural Rogersville, Tennessee, where she has worked for over three decades. She taught first and second grade for many years, but currently works was a Second Language Specialist and Program Director.

Missy earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s degree in Reading Education from East Tennessee State University (ETSU). In addition, she earned her English as a Second Language license through Freed-Hardeman University. Missy uses this training in her rural Appalachian community, where she builds bridges between cultures between both families who have been in the area for centuries and newer immigrants. Through a curriculum focused on a study of Americans from diverse backgrounds, this exceptional educator allows students to better understand that people are inherently the same and that they all belong. 

View the six-minute YouTube video below of Missy’s appearance on CBS Mornings, where she was interviewed by Gayle King.

 

Taniece Thompson-Smith recognized as the 2024 Texas State Teacher of the Year

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Taniece Thompson-Smith, an elementary school teacher from Abilene, Texas, has been named her state’s 2024 Teacher of the Year. Photo Credit Abilene ISD

It is always my pleasure to share the news that an exceptional educator has earned accolades for her work in the classroom. Today, I share the story of Taniece Thompson-Smith, an elementary school teacher from Texas who has been named her state’s 2024 Teacher of the Year.

Taniece teaches science and social sciences to fifth graders at Stafford Elementary School in Abilene. She has taught there for three years. Because she is the spouse of a military serviceman, Taniece has moved frequently, and so she has taught in numerous states throughout the country, and also in Jamaica and Japan. In all, her career as an educator spans 14 years.

The honored educator is a big believer in the power of education. “Education is a powerful equalizer; it’s not what you teach, it’s how you teach,” asserts Taniece. “Never underestimate the power of connections,” she declares. “We can’t teach our students to care about education until we show them that we care about them. Learning and growing together is a beautiful thing!” she continues.

In addition to her work with students, Taniece serves her campus in a variety of other ways, including leading district-level professional development workshops, acting as a mentor and speaker for 75 middle and high school girls, and presenting at the 2023 Annual Meeting of the Clay Minerals Society International Organization.

Taniece earned her Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Brooklyn College in New York in 2002. She also earned her graduate-level teacher certification from Rider University in New Jersey in 2008 and a Master’s degree in Teaching with a Concentration in Multicultural and Social Justice Education from California State University in Fresno, California, in 2015.

In addition to her recognition as Texas State Teacher of the Year, Taniece earned similar honors from Stafford Elementary, Abilene Independent School District (ISD), and the Region 14 Education Service Center.

 

Taylar Flaming earns 2024 Horizon Award from Kansas State Dept. of Education

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Elementary school teacher Taylar Flaming has earned a 2024 Kansas Horizon Award from the Kansas State Department of Education. She is pictured here at center, with Superintendent Cory Gibson  at left and Starside Elementary School Principal Jan Hicks at right. Photo Credit: Starside Elementary School

I always enjoy sharing news about outstanding teachers who have earned recognition for their work in the classroom. Today, I shine a spotlight on Taylar Flaming, an elementary school teacher from Kansas. She is one of 32 teachers who has been recognized with a 2024 Kansas Horizon Award from the Kansas State Department of Education.

Taylar teaches third grade at Starside Elementary School in De Soto. “Taylar is a great team player at Starside,” declared Jan Hicks, the school’s principal. “She seems to have an old soul and be so knowledgeable beyond her years. She is fantastic with students, parents and staff members,” Hicks continued. “She has a minor is special education from Pitt State. Because of this, I made her a SPED classroom. She has done a remarkable job working with the equipment necessary for her students and helping them be successful,” Hicks concluded.

Taylar earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Pittsburg State University.

The Horizon Award is a program developed by the Kansas State Department of Education that honors and recognizes exemplary first-year teachers. Four elementary and four secondary classroom teachers may be selected for the award from each of four regions for a total of 32 teachers throughout the state of Kansas.

Congratulations, Taylar!

Elizabeth Curtis named a 2024 inductee into the University of Alabama Hall of Fame

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Retired elementary school teacher and principal Elizabeth Curtis of Alabama has been named a 2024 inductee into the University of Alabama Hall of Fame. Photo Credit: University of Alabama

Many exceptional educators have made the teaching profession their life’s work. Elizabeth Curtis, an elementary school teacher from Alabama, is one of these. For her dedication, she has just named as a 2024 inductee into the University of Alabama Hall of Fame.

In a career career that spanned more than 50 years, Elizabeth has taught multiple age levels, including preschool, elementary school, and community college. She inaugurated her career a an educator when she accepted a position as a first-grade teacher at Central Elementary School in Tuscaloosa. She also taught for a short time in Phenix City, Alabama, and in New Orleans. But in 1986, she returned to where her heart lay, in Tuscaloosa City Schools. She worked for a time as a second-grade teacher at Verner Elementary, but by 1990, she was the school’s Assistant Principal. Two years later, she was promoted to the position of  Principal. Under her leadership, Verner Elementary became the highest-performing school within the Tuscaloosa City Schools (TCS) system and the state. As a result, Elizabeth was recognized as the PTA Principal of the Year.

In 1998, the governor of Alabama selected Elizabeth’s school as one of several pilot schools for a new program called the Alabama Reading Initiative. The pilot program proved so successful that it was expanded gradually throughout the state. Today, the program is still ranked as the No. 1 reading program in the nation.

After serving 28 years at Verner Elementary, Elizabeth retired in 2019. But did she stop working to improve education? No! She went on to become the Director of the TCS Future Leaders Instructional Academy. Today, she continues to serve as a substitute for Tuscaloosa City principals, and she conducts exit interviews for TCS Human Resources. In 2021, Verner Elementary named its library in honor of the accomplished educator, recognizing her legacy as a teacher, a principal, and a beloved instructional leader.

Elizabeth earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Alabama in 1970. She earned her Master’s degree from the same institution. She has also been inducted into both Kappa Delta Pi International Honorary and Kappa Delta Epsilon.

To read more about Elizabeth Curtis, click on this link to the University of Alabama.