CCTI Cohort 4 Launch
Course 2, Session 1
CCTI August 8th, 2020 E-Conference Launch
Keynote Speaker
Equity in Education with Dr. Will Chavis
Dr. Will Chavis, Principal of Enloe Magnet High
Grounded in a steadfast belief in providing high-quality, transformative educational experiences for all students, Will provides platforms and opportunities for students to become change catalysts by amplifying their voices.
Last year, Will created diversified equity teams designed to disrupt inequities. The student equity team and teacher leaders, researched evidenced-based, culturally responsive teaching strategies, creating the “Enloe 5” Equity Framework. In addition, Will orchestrated a K-12 Equity Conference (over 700 attendees), developing and sustaining vertical partnerships to provide equitable experiences and outcomes for students, K-12.
Will has refined teaching and learning, through professional collaboration, standards alignment, data analysis and building instructional leadership of teachers and APs that have resulted in significant improvement with graduation rates and high-stakes tests, while reducing suspensions/referrals and maximizing students’ time in class. This strategic work has incorporated multiple school committees and engaging families and community members.
Will has been a presenter for the NC ASCD, NCASA, and DPI Collaborative Conferences. He is the Proud Principal of Enloe, a national Magnet School of Distinction. He also serves in many leadership capacities to include: co-chair of the Human Resources Committee of the WCDPAP, VP of the CAP-7, President of the NC Alliance of Black School Educators, and Chairperson of the NC ACT State Organization. He is also the 2018-2019 Wake County Public Schools Principal of the Year.
Twitter: @wchavis
Welcome
Lisa Sonricker, Program Director
Lisa Sonricker is the Program Director of the Central Carolina Teaching Initiative (CCTI). She holds a M.Ed. in Secondary Math Education from the State University of New York, and in Educational Administration from High Point University, as well as a B.S. in Business Administration from the State University of New York. Lisa is in her 18th year as an educator, beginning as a high school mathematics teacher in both traditional and magnet schools in Guilford County. In 2010, Lisa was selected as the North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCCTM) Outstanding Secondary School Mathematics Teacher for Guilford County. In 2012, Lisa transitioned from teaching high school students to teaching lateral entry/resident teachers, in the first in-district Alternative Licensure Program in North Carolina. Through her leadership work in two educator preparation programs she has taught, coached, and learned from over 450 lateral/resident teachers. Lisa has a passion for teaching, coaching, and preparing teachers for the classroom, and has presented regularly on this work for national conferences, specifically at the Education Trust National Panel, National Association for Alternative Certification Conference, New Teacher Center Conference, and the American Association of School Personnel Administrators Conference. Lisa came to Raleigh in 2017 to develop and lead the Central Carolina Teaching Initiative. CCTI is the first multi-district collaborative Educator Preparation Program in North Carolina. She is committed to preparing the best teachers in North Carolina and grateful for each member of this extraordinary leadership team.
Twitter: @teachccti
Kathy Saunders, Content Developer & Lead Instructor
Kathy Saunders is a National Board Certified English Teacher, a North Carolina Teacher of the Year State Finalist and the 2014-2015 Piedmont-Triad/Central Region Teacher of the Year. She holds a M.Ed. in Middle Grades and Secondary English from UNC-Greensboro. Kathy Saunders is in her 20th year in education, including both middle grades ELA and high school English. She is a proud member of the CCTI team as Program Developer and Facilitator and is beginning her third cohort year. Prior to moving to Wake County, Kathy was Secondary Literacy Supervisor for
Guilford County Schools. She was a member of Dr. June Atkinson's Teacher Advisory Council and served on Governor McCrory's Teacher Advisory Committee. She is also an AP Reader for College Board and presented at the 2018 National Convention on the topic of AP Equity and Access. Kathy is a proud advocate of service learning and presented on the topic of Character Education at national conventions; she was the recipient of Most Impactful Teacher for Character Education/Service Learning at Guilford County Schools in 2016 and 2018. Kathy Saunders was lead mentor at Asheboro City Schools and continued to mentor teachers at Grimsley and Enloe Magnet High Schools. Kathy is presently featured in the NCDPI video series “What the Best North Carolina Teachers Do.”
Twitter: @TeachCCTI
Trish Steinbrecher, PhD, EC Content Facilitator
Trish Steinbrecher is currently an EC Facilitator with Durham Public Schools. She has been working for 24 years across the United States in a variety of special education roles including middle and high school teacher, district and state administration, and research and teacher education. She received her doctorate in special education from the University of Kansas and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Vanderbilt University. She has been privileged to work with some of the pioneers of the field and looks forward to learning from future special education leaders in her current role. Trish loves spending time with her husband, vegetable gardening – yes, tomato trees are possible, and playing butler to her two dogs.
Meet our Coaches
Tinisha Shaw
Tinisha Shaw is a SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) Specialist in Guilford County Schools.She has been an educator for 13 years as a high school social studies teacher, curriculum facilitator and education coach, and a district specialist to support the district implementation of social and emotional learning. She holds a BA in Sociology (UNC-Chapel Hill), Certification in Secondary Social Studies Education (UNC-Pembroke), MA in Curriculum and Instruction (Gardner-Webb University), Post-Masters Certification in School Administration (UNC-Greensboro). Outside her role as an educator, Tinisha is involved in advocacy and professional development work for educators through the state's teacher association and national professional learning networks. It is through this work that has led Tinisha to join the CCTI coaching team. She is looking forward to supporting the growth, effectiveness, and sustainability of public school educators in the state.
Twitter: @TiRoShaw
Mayra Szeto
Mayra Szeto is a Teacher Support Coordinator in the Office of Performance Management with the Wake County Public School System. Mayra has served 13 years in education as a middle
school science teacher, instructional coach, high school assistant principal, and a district coordinator. She holds a BA in Biology from Barton College and a Master of School Administration from East Carolina University. Mayra is on the Board of Directors for Wake
County’s Read and Feed non-profit organization. Read and Feed is an after-school literacy program that provides meals, tutoring and books to children from under-served families in Wake County. As a former Alternative Licensure teacher herself, Mayra looks forward to connecting with CCTI teachers to provide guidance and best practices. On a personal level, she enjoys spending time at the beach, gardening, and hiking with her husband and 2 Cocker Spaniels.
Twitter: @mszeto_1
Carlos Sousa
Carlos Sousa is an IBCP (International Baccalaureate Careers-related Programme) Coordinator at Johnston County Public Schools. He has spent eight years in retail banking, where he found his passion for teaching personal finance. He has been an educator for 10 years, as a business teacher, teaching and learning coach, DECA advisor, and most recently, as a program coordinator. As a program coordinator, he has the opportunity to design and implement different career paths within CTE to help guide and equip young adults for college, work, and life. He holds a BA in Economics from Liberty University and holds several certifications in Business, Marketing, and Technology from both North Carolina and New Jersey. Outside of the classroom, he has served as a treasurer for a local teacher association in NJ and attended several mission trips around the world. His mission is to help prepare students and teachers to reach their full potential. Carlos is very excited about being part of the CCTI team and is looking forward to working with teachers in our beautiful state of North Carolina.
Guest Speaker; Virtual & Blending Learning
Kate Gilbert. M.Ed. NBCT
This is Kate Gilbert's tenth year in education. Kate graduated from UNC- Charlotte as a NC Teaching Fellow with a degree in Middle Grades Education, with certifications in social studies and math. Kate continues to work within the UNC-Charlotte School of Education as a student teacher instructional coach. In May 2015, she completed her Master’s Degree in Middle Grades social studies education from UNC-Charlotte. Kate is also a National Board Certified Teacher. Teaching and learning continue to be her lifelong passion. Kate is passionate about inquiry-based lessons and dynamic approaches to get students to question and critically examine historical events from all perspectives. She is an Avid Coordinator and is passionate in her work to ensure equitable outcomes for all learners. Along with education, family and friends are the most important things in Kate’s life. In her free time, she loves to hike, travel the world, and run with her two dogs, Penny and Gilligan. Kate and her husband, Phillip, welcomed a son, Colin, in December 2019.