U.S. education secretary visiting Chattanooga to talk about teacher leadership this week

U.S. Education Secretary John King meets with students and administrators at the University of California, Los Angeles on Monday, May 9, 2016.  (AP Photo/Christine Armario)
U.S. Education Secretary John King meets with students and administrators at the University of California, Los Angeles on Monday, May 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Christine Armario)

If you go:

Seating is limited and Hamilton County Schools asks that you call 423-209-8448 by Monday afternoon if you want to attend. The event is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Battle Academy.

Teachers huddled around tables in the library at Battle Academy on Wednesday night, tweaking presentations they'll give next week before the nation's top education official.

U.S. Secretary of Education John King is stopping at the school Tuesday night as a part of a 12-stop bus tour through six Southern states. In Chattanooga, King will highlight the growing opportunities for teacher leadership in Hamilton County Schools.

But before King speaks, local teachers will talk about the ways they are leading and helping craft the district's future.

"A lot of teachers don't realize they are leaders," said Brittany Harris, a teacher at Hardy Elementary. "I was one of those."

Harris and Kristin Burrus, a teacher at Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences, will discuss the newly launched Teacher Think Tank, established as a way for teachers to help shape the district's approach to professional development.

Burrus said the Teacher Think Tank is "giving teachers voice and choice in the process of rethinking professional development."

Eighty-four teachers applied to be part of the Think Tank, which Keri Randolph, director of innovation for Hamilton County Schools, said shows teachers are eager to lead and help other teachers grow.

"The teacher in the classroom is the most important in-school factor for student achievement," Randolph said. "Teachers are the game-changer for our kids."

Hamilton County Schools, like many other districts across the nation, struggles to recruit and retain top talent. Just 37 percent of Hamilton County teachers are considered highly effective by state measures.

Randolph said making Hamilton County the best place to teach will draw top talent representing a diversity of thought and experience to the district, and it will provide leadership and growth opportunities to make them want to stay in the classroom.

Teachers are the greatest resource to district leaders because they are on the front lines, Randolph said. And she believes elevating teachers' voices and giving them a chance to help solve problems will improve the education system for everyone.

Kelsey Hunyh, a teacher at East Side Elementary and the winner of this year's Teacherprenuer competition, said the freedom and support she's receiving to be innovative helps her better serve her students inside and outside the classroom.

Hunyh will talk Tuesday about her experience in Teacherprenuer, an incubator program sponsored by the Public Education Foundation to give teachers tools and resources to develop business plans for educational initiatives.

"It was nice to have a springboard of people to encourage me and my idea," Hunyh said as she practiced for her presentation. "Teacherprenuer helped me take an idea I had and develop it into a scalable model."

Several other teachers also will speak Tuesday night, and after King's remarks, a panel will discuss teacher leadership.

Battle Principal Saunya Goss said the school is honored and excited to host King.

She said teacher leadership is fundamental to her work. She meets with a team of teachers once a month to brainstorm ways to improve the school and solve problems together.

"This benefits our staff and students," Goss said. "[Teachers] then lead their teams of other teachers instead of just me leading everyone alone."

Goss said she is proud of how her school is continually posting academic growth, and credits the school's racially and socioeconomically diverse population.

The school's diversity, the staff's work to close achievement gaps between students and the emphasis on teacher leadership aligns closely with the best practices King has worked to promote as secretary of education, she added.

"I'm really proud of my school and my district," Goss said. "It's huge that teachers across the district are being celebrated."

Contact staff writer Kendi A. Rainwater at 423-757-6592 or krainwater@timesfreepress.com. Follow on Twitter @kendi_and.

Upcoming Events