Author: Tanner Atha

Alumni Spotlight – Samantha Kelley

Samantha Kelley’s story has come full circle. While in high school at Davidson, she participated in the Career Mentorship Program where she shadowed Emily Demaree in her Special Education Life Skills classroom at Hoffman Trails Elementary. Today, she teaches alongside Emily at Hoffman, where she is also a special education teacher.

She said, “It was amazing to gain my first teaching experience through Hilliard’s program with Emily, and now I am not only teaching in my childhood district but am at the same school with a teacher who was once my field placement teacher!”

In recent weeks, we’ve been sharing about our all-new Portrait of a Learner, our guide to helping our students be Ready For Tomorrow. Here, a local retirement advisor and parent shares why being an Empathetic Citizen is critical for our student’s long-term success and for building a stronger community. 

Last week, Read 180 teachers Megan Richter, Kortney Hayes, and Marissa Schroot hosted our first Read180 Family Night at Station. Families were invited to come and learn more about the Read 180 curriculum and explore the software with their students. Families and students were given time to get on the program and have their students show them what they do and how the workshop method runs in their Language Arts class daily.

READ 180® is a reading program designed to support students on their reading journey. It provides blended learning instruction (i.e., combining digital media with traditional classroom instruction), student assessment, and teacher-professional development. READ 180® is delivered in 45- to 90-minute sessions that include whole-group instruction, three small-group rotations, and a whole-class wrap-up.

Jenn Fuller is an architect and parent who says she uses Critical Thinking skills every day both professionally and personally. Watch the video below to hear why she believes teaching students these skills can help them achieve their full potential, the primary goal behind Hilliard City Schools’ new Portrait of a Learner.