READ 180® And System 44® "Outstanding Educators" Help Struggling Students Become Confident Lifelong Readers

NEW YORK, May 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Scholastic (NASDAQ: SCHL), the global children's publishing, education and media company, today announced the recipients of the 2013 READ 180^® and System 44^® Outstanding Educator Awards. This award, now in its seventh year, recognizes four exceptional teachers who have proven that it is never too late to turn around the academic path for struggling students and help them achieve success. This year's Outstanding Educators have accelerated the progress of their students enrolled in READ 180 and System 44, the blended learning programs proven to raise reading achievement for struggling students in grades 3–12, and have helped them overcome both personal and academic obstacles. The students taught by these educators have shown significant growth in one year and have become enthusiastic readers who are able to tackle more complex texts. 

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"At Scholastic we know that with the right support and tools, every teacher can be a 'Force Multiplier', making an exponential positive impact on their students' lives," said Margery Mayer, President of Scholastic Education. "We are thrilled to celebrate these four outstanding educators and commend them for their unwavering dedication to their students."

The Outstanding Educator nominations are carefully reviewed by a Scholastic committee that takes into account not only the reading growth of each teacher's class, but also nomination statements from colleagues and students detailing the impact the nominated educator has had on a school, classroom, or personal level. The Outstanding Educators will each receive a $1,200 check, an all-expense-paid trip to Scholastic headquarters in New York City, and a commemorative plaque. Additionally, the educators who nominated the 2013 Outstanding Educator Award winners will receive a READ 180 Xtra Collection for their classrooms.

The 2013 READ 180 Outstanding Educators are:

High School

Tina Burnsworth – Salem High School, Virginia Beach, VA

Once a struggling reader herself, Ms. Burnsworth relates to the challenges her students face on a daily basis. "My students hear my story," said Ms. Burnsworth. "They see my passion and confidence that READ 180 is a key to open the door to success. READ 180 would have made a world of a difference to me when I was a struggling reader."

Ms. Burnsworth's commitment to individual student learning is apparent in the remarkable literacy growth seen in her students over multiple years. Since Ms. Burnsworth began teaching READ 180 seven years ago, she has built a robust reading program for Salem High School students. The majority of her students have attained an average of 2.5 years of reading growth in a single year—the highest of any secondary reading teacher in her school district.

Ms. Burnsworth has taken on a leadership role outside her building, sharing her teaching methods with her fellow reading specialists and literacy teachers to help them build their reading programs. She has also collaborated with district secondary principals as they look for a leadership model to build literacy support for struggling readers in their schools.

"At the end of the day," wrote the colleague who nominated her, "it is the joy Ms. Burnsworth brings to her students as she unlocks the mystery of reading for them that makes her worthy of this honor. Ms. Burnsworth is a consistent, committed, and student-centered master of her craft who perfectly balances the art and science of teaching. It is no wonder she is able to achieve such gains for her students."

Middle School

Jeanette Simmons – Argyle Magnet Middle School, Silver Springs, MD

Mrs. Simmons is no stranger to the READ 180 classroom, having taught the program for three years in two different school systems at two different grade levels. During her first year as a READ 180 teacher, one of her students was selected to receive the Scholastic READ 180 All-Star Award—a testament to Mrs. Simmons's effective use of the program and her ability to accelerate her students' progress. As one student wrote in her nomination, "Mrs. Simmons helps a lot of students improve their reading and writing skills and she makes it easy for all students to understand everything better in class. She wants all students to get a good education."

Mrs. Simmons encourages a collaborative learning environment and urges her students to celebrate one another's success. She also acts as a mentor for fellow teachers and attends county-wide meetings to share tips and best practices for the classroom. In her spare time, Mrs. Simmons sponsors a group of READ 180 students called STTARS (Students Taking Their Academics Seriously). The members—students who have maintained a 2.5 GPA or higher—meet every other week to discuss ways they can continue to be successful, not only in her class, but also in life. 

"Mrs. Simmons's expertise, her dedication to the READ 180 program, and her belief in the program's success make her the perfect candidate for this award," said the colleague who nominated her.

Elementary School

Dan Kane – Franklin Avenue School, Westfield, MA

A veteran teacher, Mr. Kane has worked with struggling students for the past 30 years, though last year marked his first teaching READ 180.  After being hand-picked by the principal of his school to head the READ 180 program, Mr. Kane set to work, ambitiously organizing a daily schedule of one System 44 class and two READ 180 classes and transforming his classroom into a vibrant and inviting learning environment. He even purchased books for students to take home so they could nurture their love of reading outside of school hours and build their personal collections.

"It is almost impossible to put into words the energy, organization, and vitality that are a daily part of Mr. Kane's READ 180 classroom," wrote the principal who nominated him. "He encourages students to believe in themselves as learners and in their abilities to improve."

In the first few months that Mr. Kane taught System 44, one-third of the students had made enough progress to move on to READ 180. The students placing out of Mr. Kane's class were the first to tell the incoming students how lucky they were to have Mr. Kane as a teacher. "I hope I will make the honor roll in middle school, and I bet I can because of Mr. Kane's help," wrote one student in his nomination. This success is only the beginning for Mr. Kane, who added another System 44 class to his schedule in January.

The 2013 System 44 Outstanding Educator is:

Gloria Garcia – Smith Elementary School, San Antonio, TX

As a former juvenile probation officer, Mrs. Garcia saw firsthand the significant number of young people who failed to develop literacy skills, and the struggles they encountered on a daily basis. Mrs. Garcia was determined to become a teacher who could keep students out of trouble by showing them a path to school success and a positive self-image. After completing an alternate teaching certification program in Dallas, she transitioned from probation officer to teacher, noting, "This is where I should have been all along."

Throughout her 26-year career in education, Mrs. Garcia has served in several capacities, including middle-school teacher, adjunct professor, co-director of alternative education programs, and educational diagnostician. Last year was her first year teaching System 44. In the words of the principal who nominated her, Mrs. Garcia is "strong, smart, and committed to helping students in all areas of their academics. She is my secret weapon."

Mrs. Garcia's commitment to her students is evident in her schedule: she provides tutoring before and after school, as well as on Saturdays. When it comes to success stories, her students' scores speak for themselves. This year alone, Mrs. Garcia's eleven students—all of whom were reading below grade level when they entered her System 44 class—have made more than two years' growth.

"I have numerous parents each school year request—actually, demand—that their child be taught by Mrs. Garcia," wrote the principal in Mrs. Garcia's nomination form. "She changes lives, one student at a time."

About READ 180 and System 44

READ 180 is a comprehensive system of curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional development that helps schools raise reading achievement for struggling readers in grades 4–12 and prepare them for college and career; System 44 is a breakthrough foundational reading and phonics intervention technology program for the most challenged students in grades 3–12.

You can learn more about READ 180 and System 44 here.

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SOURCE Scholastic