Rachel's Professional Vita

Rachel L. Polk

 polkrachel@mail.com

Education/Certification

M.Ed.-Education, Reading Specialist, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX, 2006

BA-English, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 1995

Principal Certificate-Texas

Teacher Certificate-Secondary Reading, English, Speech Communication, Texas

Reading Specialist (EC-12), Texas

Administrative and Leadership Experience

Assistant Principal, Liberty Elementary School, Liberty Independent School District, Liberty, TX 2011-present

• Managed a student body of approximately 650 learners in grades 2 to 5.
• Supervised a team of professionals including teachers, para-professionals, nurses, and support staff.
• Devised and coordinate scheduling, creating, and tracking work orders
• Assisted in curriculum implementation in all subjects.
• Liaise with cafeteria, custodians, and maintenance staff on a daily basis.
• Maintained on-campus activities such as student of the month, honor roll parties, and after school tutorials.
• Ensured a safe and healthy learning environment for all school members.
• Planned staff development that would enhance teacher’s professional growth.
• Evaluated and monitored teaching staff throughout the school year

Reading Coordinator, Al Price State Juvenile Correctional Facility, Texas Youth Commission, Beaumont, TX 2003-2005

• Served as a resource to teachers with regard to materials, teaching strategies, and reading research.
• Consulted with teachers regarding purchase and use of reading-related materials.
• Conducted and interpreted diagnostic assessment of students.
• Actively promoted reading in the school.
• Continued to pursue professional growth through attendance at workshops, conferences, courses, etc.
• Provided staff development as requested by the campus principal.

Teaching Experience

English Teacher, Al Price State Juvenile Correctional Facility, Texas Youth Commission, Beaumont, TX 1997-2011

• Prepared and delivered lectures to 9^th to 12^th grade students on topics such as poetry, novel structure, and essay writing skills.
• Adapted curriculum to provide individual, small group, or remedial instruction to  meet the needs of all learners.
• Adapted English material and methods to develop relevant sequential assignments that guide and challenge students.
• Evaluated each student’s progress in English skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing).

Reading Teacher, Al Price State Juvenile Correctional Facility, Texas Youth Commission, Beaumont, TX 2005-2008

• Carried out ongoing assessment of reading needs; wrote and modified the lesson plans as needed; maintains student achievement records.
• Provided leadership and training to teachers which will lead to all teachers addressing the needs of multilevel reading abilities in their classrooms.

• Motivated pupils to read widely for information and recreation.
• Consulted with other content teachers, special education teachers,  and students, advising on strategies and activities that may be used to enhance a student’s reading skills.

Speech Communications Teacher, Al Price State Juvenile Correctional Facility, Texas Youth Commission, Beaumont, TX 2001-2003

• Assisted students in improving their speaking and presentation skills.
• Guided students to focus on the “basics” of good speaking skills.
• Provided students the opportunity to practice with a variety of activities and presentations.
• Facilitated students writing abilities as they wrote their own speeches.
• Encouraged students to increase their knowledge of current events and analysis of issues in today’s world.

English Teacher, Austin Middle School, Beaumont Independent School District, Beaumont, TX 1995-1997

• Integrated a variety of teaching methods to maximize student interest and secure student success.
• Selected instructional materials designed to achieve instructional goals and objectives appropriate to the interest and maturity level of students.
• Conducted and organized on-going assessments of student performance using multiple assessment tools.

Additional Training/Professional Development

LPAC Training, Houston TX, September 2012.

“Behavioral tools for Success with Tough Kids”, Liberty Texas, August 2012.

CHAMPS Training, Liberty Texas, August 2012.

DMAC Training, Liberty Texas, August 2012.

EduSmart Training Liberty Texas, August 2012.

CSCOPE and Balanced Literacy Training, Silsbee, TX, June 2012.

“Community and Parental Involvement”, Beaumont, TX, March 2012.

Presentations

Polk, R. (2004, September).  Adapting instruction for Struggling Readers. Presentation

during Al Price State Juvenile Correctional Facility Staff Development, Beaumont, TX.

Polk, R. (2010, May).  Balanced Literacy Framework.  Presentation during Al Price

State Juvenile Correctional Facility Staff Development, Beaumont, TX.

Professional Affiliations

Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA), 2012-present

Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA), 2012-present

References

References will be provided upon request.