In my current teaching position, I am responsible for planning and implementing my NGSS-

aligned integrated science curriculum. Coming into the job, the only resources I received were
from the retiring teacher and severely outdated. I had the freedom to plan everything I would be
doing in my classroom. I learned the 5E method while in my classes and use that extensively,
allowing for a great amount of independent and inquiry learning.

As the teacher who was trained in NGSS in college, I have taken over the NGSS alignment
within the middle school. I have worked with my colleagues both here and in the high school to
ensure we are following the standards correctly. I have also been the catalyst in implementing
“Claim, Evidence, Reasoning” into the middle school as part of NGSS. I take great pride in
building up the science department at MCC.

Outside of my classroom, I am very involved with our behavior program. It originally started as
an MTSS building committee program, with three other members and myself. Through different
circumstances, the other members were no longer a part of the committee, leaving our work to
me to continue. Much of the groundwork was laid my first year of teaching through our efforts, to
be implemented the next year. This included building the code of conduct we expected our
students to follow as well as a reward system for those that could meet certain behavior, grade,
and attendance goals. The execution of that program has been solely placed on my shoulders. I
retrieve reports for advisory teachers to use to check on each student, keeping a database of
every student’s current status. I also do all the ordering of prizes which includes budgeting and
fundraising for our account. As a part of this program, we organized a large kickoff event on the
first day of school this year, known as the “First Annual Grit-Together”. I did the majority of the
planning for that event, which included partnering with community members and coordinating
their volunteering efforts.

This year, we have also started a parent teacher organization to help alleviate some of the
funding needs we have at the middle school. We are planning a fundraising race to include all
the middle school as well as open a 5K to the public. The logistical aspects of this race have
been left to a few key staff and parents. I am also the treasurer for this organization, so the
raising of funds to help promote this larger fundraising event has been my responsibility. I sent
out over 600 letters gaining sponsorships from area businesses to help donate to our cause of
getting prizes for our students to raise even more money.