Meet Our Teachers

6^th Grade Science Teacher, KIPP Central City Academy, KIPP New Orleans

Originally from Virginia, Hilah was placed at her school in 2009 during her first year of Teach For America. During her corps commitment, she received the Sue Lehman Excellence in Teaching Award for the New Orleans region and was one of the six national finalists for secondary education. For the past two years, she has served as the KIPP New Orleans Science Facilitator where her responsibilities include facilitating regional science professional development, overseeing interim creation, and initiating region-wide conversations about science and best practices. Right now, Hilah is working on starting a school garden, perfecting student research papers, and wants to find more ways for her students to serve their community using their love for science!

1^st Grade Math, KIPP Harmony Academy, KIPP Baltimore

Mary also currently serves as the school’s Math Content Leader. As the Math Content Leader, one of Mary’s priorities this year has been to develop the first grade math curriculum. Prior to coming to KIPP, Mary taught both kindergarten and third grade in East Baltimore.

2^nd Grade Math, KIPP Raíces Academy, KIPP LA

Additionally, she has been actively involved in supporting and coaching new teachers through the Teacher Apprentice Program and the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment program as a Support Provider.

Before joining KIPP Raíces, Tania taught for three years in the Lynwood Unified School District. While at LUSD, she had the opportunity to teach for the Gifted and Talent Program at Lugo Elementary School and received various trainings to earn her GATE certification. Tania received her Bachelor of Arts in Humanities and Spanish with a minor in Archaeology from Loyola Marymount University and her Bilingual Cross-Cultural Language and Academic Development teaching credential from California State University Dominguez Hills. Next year she plans to support new first year teachers to KIPP Raíces Academy as well as to plan systems to organize the school’s curricula. Tania enjoys spending her spare time with her husband Peter and three dogs, Lady, Gizmo, and Duke.

6^th Grade Reading, KIPP Infinity Charter School, KIPP NYC

Amber’s journey to KIPP Infinity Middle School began with a Teach For America commitment in 2004 in the Houston Corps. After teaching at her placement school and being introduced through TFA to KIPP, she began teaching at KIPP 3D Academy in Houston. She spent 3 years at 3D, teaching fifth grade science for two years and seventh grade ELA in her final year there. In addition, she served as science department chair for one year, seventh grade level chair for one year, instructional coach, and Saturday School Coordinator. In addition, she was the grade level chair for sixth grade at KIPP Infinity in the 2010-2011 school year.

Amber looks forward to continuing to find ways to improve and challenge herself in the coming school year. She received her B.A. from the University of Texas in Austin in 2004, majoring in Sociology with a minor in History. Outside of the classroom, Amber enjoys reading fantasy and science fiction literature, running, bicycling, and playing video games.

9^th Grade English, KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate, KIPP Lynn

In her final year at KIPP Academy Lynn (before transitioning to the high school), the scores of her seventh grade reading students on the rigorous state test were the highest ever from students at KIPP Academy Lynn, and the highest that had ever been achieved from any group of seventh grade students in Lynn in general – 86% scored proficient or advanced.

Before coming to KIPP, Shauna earned her Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction through Lesley University while working as a member of Citizen Schools National Americorps Teaching Fellowship. As a teaching fellow, Shauna juggled the roles of student, teacher, community organizer, and programming planner. While at Citizen Schools, she also became sure in her decision to become a classroom teacher. Her current interests include training for the Tough Mudder event, snowboarding, writing, finding humor in the daily escapades of children and shamelessly plugging her blog (mylifeisafarce@wordpress.com) which details those escapades.

5^th Grade Reading, TEAM Academy, TEAM Schools

In 2010-2011, 75% of her students met or exceeded their MAP targets, placing her fifth grade results in the 95th percentile nationally. All of the literacy teachers at Ali’s school credit her with laying the foundational skills necessary for students’ continued progress in reading at TEAM.

Throughout the year, Ali gives a number of workshops on reading, management and ELA best practices along the East Coast. Ali also founded and runs TEAM Schools international social justice program, TEAM in Africa. TEAM in Africa is a student run organization that works in close partnership with three schools in East Africa, providing books, writing instruction, teacher training and funds for building development and growth. Ali has been lucky enough to visit Kenya and Rwanda a handful of times and take students from TEAM Schools with her! Before teaching at TEAM, Ali was a 2004 Teach For America Corps Member in New York City. Although she has been on the East Coast now for most of her adult life, Ali is a California girl born and raised. She went to the University of Southern California where she majored in Elementary Education and minored in Children and Families in Urban America. Ali was a recipient of the Harriett Ball Excellence in Teaching Award in 2011.

5^th Grade Reading and Writing Intervention, KIPP Infinity Charter School, KIPP NYC

Her readers, between their first interim assessment this last October and the second one in December, showed an average of 7 points growth. Many came in at a level K (low second grade) and after units on good reading habits, what to do when you are confused, and close reading of nonfiction text, many were reading and comprehending at level P (late third) by March. The goal is for all readers to be at Q/R by the end of this year.

In her off time, Annica loves read the paper, sit on the beach in Hawaii, read books, and learn to fly airplanes. She received a B.S. in Sociology and a B.S. in Advertising from The University of Illinois and an M.A.T. in Elementary Education from Pace University. She resides in upper Manhattan with her partner and her dog Ruby.

6^th Grade Science, KIPP TRUTH Academy, KIPP Dallas-Fort Worth

In the first year that KIPP TRUTH administered the MAP test (2010-2011), 72% of William’s students met their growth goals in general science, which was the second highest in the KIPP network. William also sets ambitious goals for unit mastery, pushing all students to achieve 85% or higher on unit exams. Last year, the average on William’s unit assessments for his class was 86%.

As the science team leader, William also works with the other teachers in his department to align content, plan for rigorous teaching, and drive instruction with data. Prior to teaching at KIPP TRUTH, William joined Teach For America where he taught fifth and sixth grade science in the Mississippi Delta. William loves engaging his students in the real world applications of science. If you stop by his classroom, you’ll probably hear singing, chanting, questioning, laughing, discussion, and the occasional squeal of delight from a chemical reaction or the microscopic view of a fly leg.

6^th Grade Reading, TEAM Academy, TEAM Schools

In the last three years, Daniel’s students have also outperformed students who attend Newark Public Schools by approximately 30%.

Daniel also serves as a Teacher Leader for TEAM Academy and has served as a founding member of the Reading Instructional Vision TEAM for TEAM Schools. Daniel was responsible for crafting TEAM Academy’s approach to guided reading in 2008. Prior to teaching at TEAM Academy Daniel taught for four years in the Newark Public Schools, two of the years as a member of the 2003 Teach For America Corps. He also served as a Literacy Coach for a K-8 school in the district. Daniel loves his role as a teacher and cannot think of a better, more noble, or fulfilling job in the world.

5^th Grade Math, KIPP Believe College Prep, KIPP New Orleans

The school was only open for one year, but it was enough to get Sally hooked on KIPP. For the following two years, she stayed in Houston and taught seventh grade math at KIPP 3D Academy. While she loved her school in Houston, her heart was still in New Orleans. In 2008, she moved back and has been happily teaching fifth grade math at KIPP Believe ever since. Last year, 91% of Sally’s students met their MAP growth goals – the highest in the entire KIPP Network for fifth grade math.

Sally is a 2004 graduate of the University of Washington with degrees in History and Psychology. Outside of school she enjoys running, cooking, and traveling. She is also a huge fan of the New Orleans Saints and the UW Huskies.