Russellville Superintendent Leon Smith and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Steven A. Moats have asked Cassie Reding to fill the position of District Instructional Coach, and she has accepted. She will be primarily responsible for Read 180 and System 44 across the district, and she will be instrumental in helping improve core instructional strategies, implement effective/efficient classroom management practices, and integrating technology into lessons.
The coaching position was previously held by Robin Cornelius, who began serving as Interim principal at Stevenson Elementary on Nov. 1.
Cassie Reding has a long list of professional accomplishments:
1. Eight years of teaching experience in Kentucky’s accountability/tested areas of the curriculum.
2. National Board Certified Teacher (in literacy).
3. Master’s Degree in School Counseling.
4. Hope Street Group Teacher Fellow, serving as chair of Hope Street’s Legislative Committee.
5. In 2015-16 KCTE’s Elementary Teacher of the Year.
Smith says, “Cassie has been instrumental in helping Stevenson achieve higher achievement scores, especially in reading, mathematics, and writing. Over the past three years, Cassie has become an invaluable asset to our teaching staff---and coaching staff.”
Please join RIS in congratulating Cassie Reding on her new role in our District.
In addition, one of the most important aspects of Russellville’s newly funded Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL) grant is the employment and use of two Literacy Coaches to provide professional learning, coaching, and mentoring assistance across the District to help move us toward the goal of improving literacy outcomes for students.
“Interviews have been conducted, and both positions are being filled with high-quality teaching professionals, Ms. Michele McCloughan and Ms. Sara Jennings,” Smith says. “Both will begin work in the District on Nov. 14.
Michele McCloughan is in her twenty-fourth year of teaching, 22 in the Bowling Green Independent School District. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education and Special Education LBD/FMD and possesses Master Degrees in Early Childhood Education and Library Media. Currently, Michele teaches third, fourth, and fifth grade ELA. She is the Elementary Co-Director for WKU's Writing Project, serves on the Writing Advisory Board at the Kentucky Department of Education, and is Secretary for KCTE/LA.
Sara Jennings is a 15-year veteran teacher, having taught second, third, fourth, and fifth grades. Previously, she taught in Grayson and Butler Counties and worked for the Kentucky Department of Education as an Education Recovery Specialist and as a Professional Learning for Educator Effectiveness Coach. Currently, she is in her third year at TC Cherry Elementary in Bowling Green. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education, a Master’s Degree in Library Media Education, and is working on a Doctorate in Education Leadership. She is a member of the Kentucky Reading Association as well as the International Reading Association. She also works as Outreach Coordinator for the WKU Writing Project.
Dr. Moats has already talked to them about trading in their “purple and gold” for a much better alternative ---“black and gold!”
We are looking forward to having Michele McCloughan and Sara Jennings join the Panther team!