Mississippi Teachers Named to Curriculum Associates' 2025 Class of Extraordinary Educators™
JACKSON, Miss., June 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Curriculum Associates has named Meghan Froman of Delisle Elementary School in Gulfport, Holly Slay of Quitman Upper Elementary School in Waynesboro, Taylor White Brown of Simpson Central School in Braxton, and Amanda Gibson of College Park Elementary in Ocean Springs, to its 2025 class of Extraordinary Educators, an annual program that celebrates and connects teachers from across the country who go above and beyond for their students in Grades K–8. Selected from hundreds of nominations, Froman, Slay, Brown, and Gibson are part of a select group of 29 educators who exhibit best-in-class use of i-Ready®, i-Ready Classroom Mathematics, and/or Ready®. They have also promoted growth and achievement through interim assessments, pioneered innovative engagement strategies, and stretched the expectations and achievement of their students.
"Each student has different strengths and backgrounds," said Froman. "Using differentiated instruction allows me to meet students at their individual learning levels and challenge them in ways most productive to their own growth trajectories."
"I encourage open dialogue in my classroom and promote respect for all perspectives to help students feel valued," said Slay. "To ensure equity in the classroom, I think it's important to provide instruction based on students' individual learning levels."
"Students don't always need the same things for success," said Brown. "I like to meet each student where they are and help them define success. The i-Ready programs provide the opportunity for all students to grow and learn on their own unique paths to success."
"It's important to meet students based on their unique and diverse needs," said Gibson. "Having the resources to do exactly that has fueled not just my growth as an educator but my students' growth as learners."
This year's class of Extraordinary Educators includes a diverse range of backgrounds and roles—from classroom teachers to specialists and gifted support teachers. Each educator's application was reviewed by an internal selection committee composed of Curriculum Associates employees with various roles across the company and finalized by an advisory board that included Curriculum Associates and Extraordinary Educators alumni.
"The impact these teachers make creates ripple effects in their communities and across the country," said Kelly Sia, CEO of Curriculum Associates. "We are delighted to celebrate these remarkable educators and the transformative work they do to ensure better student outcomes. Our Extraordinary Educators, selected from hundreds of nominations and submissions, embody our mission of impact in the classroom and work to unlock the potential of every student."
This class of Extraordinary Educators will enjoy continued access to a network of their distinguished peers from across the country to collaborate, connect, and explore new and unique ways to prepare the next generation of learners. They will also receive access to professional learning opportunities, including an invitation to participate and present at the annual Extraordinary Educators Leadership Summit and other professional learning events.
About Curriculum AssociatesFounded in 1969, Curriculum Associates is a mission-driven education company committed to grade-level success for every learner. We support more than 14 million students and one million teachers across the U.S. with our award-winning service and evidence-based programs including i-Ready®, Magnetic®, and BRIGANCE®. Learn more at www.curriculumassociates.com.
Media contact: press@cainc.com
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mississippi-teachers-named-to-curriculum-associates-2025-class-of-extraordinary-educators-302471010.html
SOURCE Curriculum Associates, LLC
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Hypebeast
2 days ago
- Hypebeast
DAIWA PIER39 Delivers Urban‑Ready FW25 Capsule for BEAUTY&YOUTH
Summary DAIWA PIER39andBEAUTY&YOUTHreturn forFall/Winter 2025with a four‑piece capsule designed to merge the technical precision of outdoor wear with the clean versatility of contemporary city dressing. Each style reflects the collaboration's core ethos – balancing functional performance with refined aesthetics – while incorporating exclusive design details tailored for BEAUTY&YOUTH. The lineup includes the WINDSTOPPER® Tech Sports Jacket, a short‑coat silhouette not found in DAIWA PIER39's mainline. Its detachable hood transforms it into a sleek stand‑collar jacket, while an adjustable waist drawcord allows for silhouette capsule also features the Tech Sports 2B Jacket Limonta and matching Tech Sports Trousers Limonta, both cut in a compact silhouette from Limonta's premium fabric, which combines a natural handfeel with a polished appearance. The jacket's pleated sleeves create a subtle three‑dimensional form and a hidden button under the lapel converts it into a stand‑collar style. The trousers feature an easy‑wear elastic waist, adjustable hem drawcords and multiple zip pockets, blending relaxed comfort with practical storage. Rounding out the collection is the Tech Back Pocket Tee L/S, a long‑sleeve top with a clean, minimal front and functional back pocket. Its lightweight fabric and adjustable hem drawcord make it adaptable for different styling moods. Prices range from ¥15,400 – ¥52,800 JPY (approx. $105 – $359 USD) , the collection is currently available via BEAUTY&YOUTH andUNITED ARROWS.


CBS News
3 days ago
- CBS News
Thousands of Colorado teachers begin careers without debt thanks to education grant
Thousands of educators in Colorado are starting their careers as teachers thanks to a relatively new grant. The Education Retention and Recruitment Grant, created more than two years ago, helps Colorado create an expedited path to a career in teaching through grants to cover the costs of schooling. Rosemary Borger is one of the many who have benefited from the grant. She was working in another career field when she realized her appreciation for great teachers. Borger said she was inspired by teachers who helped her son navigate his own unique needs. "I felt like I could make a positive impact. I knew there was a drop in teachers, so I felt like it was a good time to get into the profession. Because I knew I could help kids," Borger said. "I realized I wanted to be part of a group like that; they were very supportive of my son's education." When Borger learned of the ERRG, she decided to apply and was given a grant. "It supports those folks that have that interest in educating but may lack the resources to pay for their education," said Margarita Tovar, Chief Talent Officer for the Colorado Department of Education. "We believe retention starts at the door. This program helps open access to anyone who has that passion and purpose to support our students." For people like Borger, the grant allowed them to pursue their dreams of becoming a teacher without having to quit their previous full-time jobs or go into significant debt. "It lowers the access barriers and it increases retention for educators," Tovar said. Tovar said the grant program has already helped more than 2,000 new teachers enter the workforce. "Without the grant, I don't think I would have become a teacher because my family didn't have the funds for me to go back to school and stop working. So, the grant made it possible," Borger said. "I was able to work full-time with a young child and get the license all at the same time. So, if parents are considering becoming teachers, this is a good way to get into the classroom." Something Borger happily said she's living proof of. The education department is currently fielding applications for its third year of grants. Applications for 2025 close on September 30.


Forbes
4 days ago
- Forbes
Flexibility Is King: Why Rigid Education Models Shut Out Talent
Pablo Listingart is the founder of ComIT, a nonprofit providing free, tailored tech training to help people overcome employment barriers. In more than two decades of teaching (first in high school classrooms, then university lecture halls and now through the nonprofit tech‑training programs I run), I've met a lot of educators. Wonderful, passionate people. And yet, sprinkle in any discussion about how learning should happen, and the mood shifts. Suddenly, everyone's clutching their pedagogical pearls: 'Courses must be in‑person due to the social aspect of it!' 'Online is the only way to scale!' 'Eight a.m. classes build character!' Rigid certainty is oddly fashionable in education circles. It's comforting to declare one universal 'right way,' but it's also the way to keep smart, motivated people stuck on the outside looking in. The Privilege Of A Roof And The Myth Of 'Free' School I was lucky. My parents offered me a roof and food until I finished my studies at university. The deal was that everything else (weekend outings, vacation money, even some textbooks) was on me. And so that's why I started working when I was 17 years old, doing many different things. Plenty of people probably share my experience. Many others do not. Even in countries with 'free' tuition, the hidden price tag is real: transportation, food, childcare, lost wages, the cost of juggling night shifts with morning exams. Tell a single mom working one or more survival jobs that scholarships exist and see if that helps. Scholarships rarely cover diapers or bus fare, and they certainly don't solve a rigid lecture schedule. It's simple: When the choice is attending biology lab at 9 a.m. or paying the electric bill, the lab loses. Not because students lack discipline, but because Maslow organized that hierarchy for a reason. Are We Really Opening The Door? Many institutions tout diversity initiatives. Worthy efforts, but often focused on entry rather than completion. Once a student steps through the door, we stick to a fixed timetable, mandatory attendance, single‑attempt exams and 15‑week semesters. Take the single mom again. She obtains a scholarship, then misses class because her toddler spikes a fever. A zero for participation follows, and her grade slides. The scholarship renews only with a B average, and soon she's gone. We pat ourselves on the back for 'access,' never noticing the revolving door spinning behind us. What Students Actually Want Earlier this year, my nonprofit surveyed 500 learners. The results were unsurprising if you've been paying attention: • 45% prefer a hybrid format: part self‑paced, part live instruction. • 46% crave a balance of independent and collaborative work. • Only 40% believe formal degrees are the best path, though many say prestige still matters on a résumé. Translation: Students welcome structure, but not at the expense of sanity. They appreciate community, but not if it means forfeiting their paycheck. They respect credentials, but only when those credentials signal real-life skills. The Case For Flexibility (And How To Do It Without Lowering The Bar) Break courses into bite‑sized units that can be started at different moments in the year. Give evening, weekend and recorded options. Mastery, not seat time, should drive progression. Swap high‑stakes midterms for projects that mirror real work. If a student can demonstrate competency at midnight on a Tuesday, why force them into an exam hall at dawn? Pandemic Zoom fatigue taught us that slapping a webcam on a three‑hour lecture is torture. True hybrid learning mixes asynchronous micro‑lessons with short, purpose‑built live sessions for discussion, feedback or group work. Allow a limited number of 'life happens' passes per term—no doctor's note required. Missed a class because your bus broke down or your shift ran late? Use a pass, catch the recording, complete an assignment and move on. Offer micro‑certificates that build toward a larger credential. A student who finishes two modules earns something tangible even if life interrupts the third. Momentum can be a powerful antidote to dropout rates. Will The Ivory Tower Survive The Remodel? Critics worry that flexibility dilutes academic rigor. In my experience, it does the opposite. When you remove arbitrary barriers, you're left with the actual barrier: learning the material. Students no longer fail because the daycare closed; they succeed or fail on understanding algorithms, supply chain theory or Renaissance art. Exactly as it should be. And employers? They love it. Ask any CTO if she'd rather hire a graduate who perfected Java at 2 a.m. while caring for aging parents or someone who breezed through a lecture‑only course. Resilience, time management, grit. That's the hidden curriculum flexible programs teach. Flexibility: An Equity Issue (And A Talent Issue And A GDP Issue ... ) When education only fits the schedule of a 19‑year‑old with no dependents and plentiful cash, we waste oceans of talent. Single parents, newcomers, rural learners and neurodivergent students are not edge cases. They are the workforce we claim to need. By 2030, global shortages in tech alone could leave millions of roles unfilled. Meanwhile, capable adults shelve their potential because classes clash with paychecks. The math doesn't add up. Crowns, Thrones And The Future Which brings us back to the headline: Flexibility is king. In medieval times, the king's word was law; in modern education, flexibility should rule with similar authority. Not as a feel‑good add‑on, but as the organizing principle around which curricula, funding and policy revolve. If we fail, we'll keep graduating a narrow slice of the population and wondering why innovation stalls. If we succeed, we'll unleash minds previously sidelined by timetables and tuition receipts. Twenty years in, I've learned that teaching isn't about delivering content; it's about removing every nonessential barrier between a learner and the aha moment. Roof and food not included? Let's figure that out. Child with a fever at 10 p.m.? Record the session. Need to work the breakfast shift? Offer the lab in the afternoon or the evening. Because when our systems bend, talent doesn't break. And that, whether you're a university dean, a boot‑camp founder or a hiring manager, is the smartest investment you can make. Forbes Nonprofit Council is an invitation-only organization for chief executives in successful nonprofit organizations. Do I qualify?