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Leadership & Community

Leadership Beliefs

The following beliefs represent my core leadership values. These are listed in no particular order. 
  1. All students are capable of learning, and it is our fundamental purpose to understand how all students learn so that we can teach all students effectively.
  2. All leadership decisions should be made with the primary consideration being the decision's impact on students.
  3. Schools are the cornerstone of any community, which means schools have significant responsibility to its community to meet its needs (as is relevant to maximizing student learning).
  4. School leadership expresses its values nonverbally more strongly than in nonverbal communication. 
  5. Our actions should align with our belief in the dignity and values of others, even when we don't agree.
  6. We attack problems, not people: obstacles are a chance for growth, not blame. 
  7. We don't make assumptions when we don't have all the information: a wise leader is an informed leader that is cautious to judge before investigating.
  8. Consistency, consistency, consistency: successful school leaders communicate consistently. 
  9. Equity is on-going, recursive, and difficult work that all must accept as a responsibility of educational staff (instructional and non-instructional). Silence is complicity. 
  10. People first: relationships are key in nurturing those under one's leadership. Strong leaders understand and nurture the people they lead. 
  11. Strong leaders are models of vision. Leaders must have a strong vision for the future and model the daily pursuit of that vision through achievement, actionable goals. 


Leadership Opportunities

Below is a list of opportunities I have had to demonstrate leadership in my school community.

  • 2021-2022 Omaha Public Schools Inclusion Committee Cohort
  • Midland University Adjunct Instructor (Fall 2021, M.Ed. Program)
  • Equity Committee Founding Member
  • MTSS-B Tier 2 Committee Team Leader
  • MTSS-B Tier 1 Committee Teacher Leader
  • Parent Engagement Night Committee Member
  • School Improvement Planning Committee Member
  • National Board Certification - portfolio submitted, pending results

Academic & Community Contributions

These summarize some of the contributions I have made to the education and academic communities.

  • Omaha Public Schools Cultural Resource Showcase Presenter
  • Curriculum Writing Team, Joslyn Art Museum (30 Americans)
  • Curriculum Writing Team, UNO Service Learning Academy (Bak Exhibit)
  • Reconstructing Curriculum Cohort Master Teacher
  • Innocent Classroom Podcast Featured Speaker (Episode 1)
  • Educators for Black Lives Organization Founding Member
  • Innocent Classroom Conference Presenter: "Keeping the Flame: Sustaining Innocent Classroom Practice"
  • "Pedagogical Service Learning: Elevating the Voices of Hunger Across Generations" 
  • "Reimagining Poetic Justice: Searching for Social Equity Through Poetry" (Affirming all Voices: Writing and Social Justice Conference, UNO)
  • "Restoring Innocence & Raising Voices: Searching for Social Equity through Poetry" (Cultural Resource Showcase, Minnesota Humanities & OPS)




Awards & Recognition

  • Creighton University Upward Bound Program Instructor of the Summer
  • National Council of Teachers of English Leadership Development Award for Nebraska
  • PKD Outstanding Teacher Showcase
  • 2021 Midland University Commencement Speaker







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