Literacy Coach

ASHLEY KERNS

Ashley Kerns is a K-6 Literacy Coach at Dexter Community Schools. She was a classroom teacher for many years teaching grades 2-5 before transitioning to a coaching position. She has taught in rural and suburban settings and has been a workshop teacher for most of her teaching career.  She is passionate about supporting, empowering, and learning with other teachers.   She has three kids who are also in school and keep her busy with all of their activities! In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her husband and kids, reading and talking school with other teachers!

Literacy Coach

BETH BRUCE

Beth Bruce has 20 years of experience teaching elementary children. She has a MA in literacy and is currently a K-2 literacy instructional coach in Lake Orion Community Schools. Beth is passionate about supporting teachers in balanced literacy. Her professional growth includes attending Teachers College Reading and Writing Workshop institutes. She has presented to educators all over Michigan.

Literacy Coach

JENNY MILLER

Jenny Miller is a Literacy Specialist/Coach with Ann Arbor Public Schools. Her work includes collaborating with other coaches, coaching teachers, and reading intervention with first and second graders. Prior to her current role, she was a teacher with Saline Area Schools where she implemented Reading and Writing Units of Study for over a dozen years. She also provided professional development to new and veteran teachers around the Units of Study. She has attended TCRWP Institutes many times over the last decade, most recently in January at the Reading Coaches Institute.  

Literacy Coach

CHRIS WORKING

Chris Working taught 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades at West Ottawa Public Schools before becoming a literacy coach at Grand Haven Area Public Schools. His professional interests include understanding how social structures can support collaborative discussion as well as ways motivation influences the reading and writing process. Outside of school, he is a doctoral candidate at Michigan State University, is active with the OAISD Literacy Network, the National Writing Project, and a frequent participant at Teachers College Reading, Writing, and Coaching Institutes.

Instructional Support Specialist

STACIE ANGEL

Stacie Angel is an Instructional Support Specialist and teacher for the Berkley School District. In her Instructional Support role, Stacie provides professional learning to ensure strong workshop instruction to K-8 teachers. This year, Stacie returned to the classroom part-time. This experience not only fed her teacher-soul, but it was a chance to apply workshop practices in her own work.  Stacie loves to write and shares her teaching journey at StacieAngel.com.  She enjoys connecting with teachers outside of her district and has presented at local and state conferences. 

Literacy Coach

AMY MILLER

Amy Miller spent 22 years teaching in elementary and middle schools in Grand Haven. She is now a literacy coach collaborating with teachers to grow expertise in the art and science of teaching. Her own professional growth includes attending Teacher's College Reading and Writing Institutes, working with the Lakeshore Coaching Collaborate, OAISD Literacy Network, and The Lake Michigan Writing Project.

JENNIFER GRIFFITH

Teacher, Grade 7

Jennifer Griffith is currently a seventh grade English/Language Arts teacher in the Berkley School District.  She has been teaching for over twenty years. She has a wide range of classroom experience having taught third, fifth and seventh grades.  She also spends time coaching teachers in all areas of literacy and supporting new teachers with classroom management strategies. Jen has presented on a variety of literacy topics for her district and at the state level. She believes in the power of workshop instruction to create lifelong readers and writers of all ages.

PHYLLIS NESS

Special Lecturer

Phyllis Ness is a veteran educator and life-long learner. She currently teaches reading methods and reading assessment classes as a Special Lecturer in the Department of Reading and Language Arts at Oakland University. Her experience as a teacher of preschool through middle school proved to be an asset in her former role as Literacy Coordinator for Clarkston Community Schools. She loves sharing her passion for literacy with children and teachers, alike! Phyllis is looking forward to learning with you.

JENN NELSON

Teacher, Grade 3

Jenn is a third grade teacher in Saline, Michigan.  In her 17 years of teaching experience, Jenn has taught in elementary and middle school classrooms. Jenn also enjoys working with new and veteran teachers on reading and writing workshop practices. She supports teachers through training options and labsites. Jenn is passionate about creating learning environments where students have ownership, choice and purpose and teachers feel supported and empowered. 

JENNA FURR

Literacy Consultant

Jenna Furr was a first grade teacher and K-12 Literacy Coach for Hartland Consolidated Schools.  She has worked with teachers and districts across Michigan to implement Readers and Writers Workshop and nurture their knowledge in reading and writing instruction.  Today, Jenna is mostly home with her tiny humans, but she continues her work as a literacy consultant because she is passionate about growing the love of reading and writing with her two favorite kinds of people…educators and children.

KATHY LEVANDOSKI

Literacy Coach

Kathy Levandoski is a professional development/instructional coach in Hudsonville, MI where she actively supports teachers in the implementation of The Units of Study from Teachers' College. She has recent and extensive classroom experience in multiple grade levels as well. Kathy loves to learn and grow beside other educators. 

CASEY WEEKS

Teacher, Grade 3

Casey Weeks is a 3rd grade teacher at Coopersville Area Public Schools.  As an educator, she values helping each student become a passionate reader, deep thinker, and curious writer. She believes in utilizing practical literacy teaching tools and inquiry-based instruction to make learning accessible for all students.