I started my career in Midway as a Reading Instructional Specialist at Woodgate Intermediate, but my job title has morphed over the past 12 years that I have worked here. My current title is “MTSS Facilitator.” MTSS stands for Multi-Tiered System of Supports. This basically means that I work for all students to find what “support system” they need to be successful.

At River Valley, our teachers meet daily to look at data on their students and make a plan for what their students need. We use this time and data to identify students that need extra help in an academic area. We provide interventions that range anywhere from a small group inside the regular classroom, to targeted tutorials and special classes. Sometimes students just need small gaps closed, but sometimes our interventions show that kids need further testing to get more help in the long run. I oversee this process and work with teachers daily to help provide data and resources for teachers and students to be successful.

Two other areas of my job are Assistant Campus Testing Coordinator and Mentor Coordinator. As testing coordinator, I work with all things involving screeners and STAAR. There is a lot of behind-the-scenes preparation for STAAR that goes on and it requires a lot of emotional and physical energy! 

Being Mentor Coordinator, I get to work with all the new teachers every year and help set them up with a mentor, or experienced teacher. These mentors help support new teachers as they get to know Midway, and sometimes as they embark on their first year as a teacher. It is a joy to get to support our Mentors and our Mentees daily.

Although I miss not having students in my own classroom to help individually, I love being able to help the school as a whole. My focus every day is to help our students and teachers be the best that they can be at whatever they do. I am thankful for the opportunity to do this at Midway.