New minds and fresh faces will be nurturing children who attend the Leadership Academy at John T. White Elementary School this year thanks to the Leadership Academy Network’s Grow Your Own Teacher Residency Program. Nine teacher residents have been accepted to the program and will work alongside master teachers for the next two years, the Academy Network said in a news release.
The initiative, recently introduced by the Network as a way to “grow and nurture” excellent educators, is designed to provide individuals with a bachelor’s degree an opportunity to receive focused, supported academic and in-field training.
During their first year, residents will complete all requirements needed to obtain a Texas Standard Teacher Certificate. Upon completion of the second year, residents will earn a master’s degree in teaching or administration, the news release said.
The Grow Your Own Teacher Residency will help meet a critical need by training new educators in high-impact instruction and creating quality seats in urban, high-needs schools within the Leadership Academy Network.
Each resident will be assigned to a master teacher – a classroom teacher identified as one of the highest performing teachers within the network and Fort Worth ISD. Master teachers serve the residents in instruction, leadership and coaching roles through mentorship, modeling and co-teaching on campus.
New teacher residents are A’Keisha Burke, Diana Cruz, Natika Dangerfield, Simon Flory, Frank Linton, Brenda Perez, Erika Perez, Patrina Rogers, and Angela Thomas.
The Leadership Academy Network is a partnership between Fort Worth ISD and Texas Wesleyan University to sustain academic success at five previously underperforming elementary and middle schools, including the Leadership Academy at John T. White.
The Grow Your Own program is an example of the network’s ability to create new and innovative educational opportunities for teachers, students and families, the news release said.
Fort Worth ISD designed its Leadership Academies to feature highly effective educators, a heightened focus on daily academic mastery and an extended school day, among other benefits.
Network schools are the Leadership Academies at Como Elementary, John T. White Elementary, Maude I. Logan Elementary, Mitchell Boulevard Elementary and Forest Oak Middle School.
Texas Wesleyan is a long-time partner to Fort Worth ISD and was selected by Fort Worth ISD to sustain and support the district’s Leadership Academy model by managing the schools in accordance with a performance contract mutually negotiated by the partners.