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Teacher Leader Projects

In their second year of the fellowship, JSD Fellows design, develop, and lead a project connected to a Utah Teacher Leader Role. Fellows ensure their project positively impacts students, colleagues, the school community, and public education. They also presented their work at a district-wide PD day in an exhibition format.

2024-2026 Teacher Fellows Impact Projects

Flight Path to Progress (Tamara Baggett): An infographic illustrating a data-driven system for third-grade literacy that uses student-friendly goal setting, bi-monthly progress tracking, and weekly teacher data reviews to reach grade-level reading targets Building Thinking Classrooms (Jill Bodine): A graphic depicting a professional learning community for math teachers focused on high-impact Tier 1 practices, such as intentional whiteboard lesson design and student-led note-making
Elevating Collective Efficacy through Meaningful Coaching (Rae Boren): A visual summary of student-centered coaching cycles at Copper Hills High, highlighting over 1,300 team interactions and improved teacher efficacy through data-driven support New Teacher Mentoring (Melissa Brunke): A diagram showing the transformation of teacher mentoring from a single annual meeting into a structured monthly framework providing actionable classroom tools and practical strategies
Changing the Narrative: Elevating Public Education Through Teacher Advocacy (Michael Draut): A layout showcasing the "Teacher Mic" advocacy platform, which uses social media, media interviews, and legislative engagement to spotlight authentic educator perspectives Teacher Professionalism (Amy Geilman): A representation of a relational skills training program for new educators focusing on five core competencies: communication, empathy, conflict resolution, self-regulation, and optimism
PBIS Team-Building (Jessica Hacking): A graphic showing a gamified staff house system integrated with Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) to reward professional growth and boost school morale Transforming School Culture through Support Systems (Christina Jacobs): A multi-year roadmap for rolling out School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) across 41 elementary schools to align behavioral expectations and supports
Teachers as Leaders (Kyle Jensen): A visual of a site-based leadership program where teachers engage in collaborative book studies and personalized action projects to expand their leadership capacity Multilingual Supports (Lay Kou): An overview of instructional strategies for multilingual students, including the use of engagement tools like microphones and a data-driven ELD task force for teachers
Math Resources for DLI (Xin Luo): A representation of a collaborative online platform containing translated Chinese-language math materials, including lesson plans and practice problems for Dual Language Immersion Vertical Collaboration (Lucia Martin): A diagram of a cross-grade PLC model for Spanish DLI teachers using a Vertical Writing Rubric to improve student composition scores and provide a consistent growth roadmap
Teacher-Driven PD (Holli Mattingly): A graphic illustrating survey-informed professional development at Copper Canyon Elementary, featuring peer observations and practical monthly sessions tailored to staff needs Trauma-Informed Teaching (Haley McCall): An overview of the "Tools for Transformation" program, showcasing Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) strategies used to train faculty in supporting students with trauma
Better Together Literacy Night (Kami Mecham): A visual summary of a school-family partnership event featuring staff-led breakout sessions and individualized literacy progress cards for families Shining a Light on SLPs (Cassen Williams): A graphic representing legislative advocacy for Speech-Language Pathologists, focusing on compensation data, colleague mobilization, and direct lobbying for equitable pay

You can find more information about each of our teacher leader projects in our 2026 Impact Report below:

EMBED Jordan Teacher Fellows Impact Report 2026 by kiera.beddes