TKY Teacher Bios
Lauren Niemann (2010 Cohort) teaches a self-designed Environmental Science class at Fern Creek in Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS). Below she shares some of the exciting work she’s currently leading in JCPS, while raising young children with husband and fellow TKY alumn, Jacob Reed (2009).
Because she has been there before, Cassie understands the unique challenges of learning English, being part of an immigrant community, and having other learning challenges. From this understanding of her students, Cassie knows how critical it is to teach them to be resilient and take ownership of their learning.
Jessie: My experience working as a scientist in San Francisco very much impacts my work, because I look at the students’ experiences in the classroom as preparation for jobs later. I want to help them be successful with real skills.
Tyler: I expect to see Southern High School continue to grow and improve based on a variety of measures. We want all our students to graduate high school with a plan and the ability to implement that plan. We can accomplish this together by focusing on improving the instruction delivered in classes and working with each student to individually develop their plan.
For Adam, part of being able to push students to those deeper levels has meant providing his visually impaired students with authentic opportunities to experiment and to experience labs through their own senses. “My current students have more significant needs [than did my students in mainstream public schools], so I’ve had to adapt my instruction to meet them where they are.”
Teach Kentucky third-year teacher, Sara Meierding (2014 TKY cohort) now leads the Digital Promise Verizon Innovative Learning school grant at Shawnee Middle School in Jefferson County Public Schools. Sara has worked to leverage the TKY network to support her students’ learning, engagement, access and motivation at Shawnee Middle.
Teach Kentucky’s impact is growing as alumni like Melissa Shearon and Deloreon Burton move into leadership positions. As members of KDE’s Education Recovery Team, these two TKY alumni support other teachers and administrators in JCPS schools that need support.
Teach Kentucky’s impact is growing as this year marks the first time a student of a Teach Kentucky teacher has gone on to enter the program herself. Launi Brown is a member of the newest Teach Kentucky cohort, and a former Western High School student of Aubrey Holle, a member of Teach Kentucky’s 2012 cohort.