What do you get when you put together a group of 57 talented, inquisitive, and passionate educators from Virginia Beach? The 2015-2016 Design Fellows.
In the spring of 2015, Dr. Spence announced a very special learning and leadership opportunity in support of Compass to 2020: a call for teachers to serve as design fellows. Those selected would be at the forefront of the division’s focus on personalized learning. It was a competitive selection process with over 100 teachers applying for this unique opportunity. This speaks to the talent, passion, and commitment of educators in Virginia Beach! A total of 57 teachers and specialists were selected as design fellows and are empowered with helping the division to exemplify what personalized learning looks like in the classroom.
Design fellows began their experience this summer by gaining foundational knowledge about personalized learning. This included delving into VBCPS’s working definition. Next, each design fellow identified the first challenge of implementing personalized learning in his or her classroom. Using principles of design thinking, they worked together to generate creative solutions. As a result, they truly emerged as makers and risk takers.
Design fellows are currently working to identify various practices that align with personalized learning including: goal setting, student voice and choice, and self-reflection (just to name of few).
Through quarterly meetings, this group of teacher leaders work intensely to reflect on their progress. Their work is guided by the following questions:
◾What does personalized learning look like in the classroom?
◾How can I show others what personalized learning is?
◾What do other teacher need to know and do to successfully implement personalized learning?
The Office of Professional Growth and Innovation is partnering with the design fellows throughout the upcoming year to provide “personalized” job-embedded support. Follow the work of the design fellows on the PGI blog for a special series of blog posts beginning on Oct. 27. Staff is also invited to join the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtag #vbplearn.
Stay tuned.
2015-2016 Design Fellows
Megan Bailey, Trantwood Elementary
Megan Bishop, Green Run High
Suzanne Buhner, John B. Dey Elementary
Michelle Burton, Point O’ View Elementary
Barbara Butler, Corporate Landing Middle
Kim Cabotaje, Landstown Elementary
James Carroll, Renaissance Academy
Allison Castle, Great Neck Middle
Katie Catania, Strawbridge Elementary
Sidney Delepine, Tech and Career Ed Center
Allison Dickens, Linkhorn Park Elementary
Patricia Downing, Landstown High
Jenna Filipowicz, Kempsville High
Jenna Free, Tallwood High
Christopher Freeman, Kellam High
Amy Furlich, Corporate Landing Elementary
Pamela Gaut, Bayside Elementary
Lyndsay Hamby, Princess Anne Middle
Amy Hardwick, Pembroke Meadows Elementary
Jennifer Harrell, Landstown MS
Adrian Hayes, Kemps Landing/Old Donation Center
Deana Hubbell, Windsor Oaks Elementary
Tasha Hurst, Ocean Lakes High
Lisa Inman, Christopher Farms Elementary
Ashley Karunaratne, Green Run High
Jennifer Kelly, First Colonial High
Leanna Landry, Tallwood Elementary
Laura Lawver, Cooke Elementary
Mary Malone-Brown, Tallwood Elementary
Sara Mendez, Salem Middle
Shakeena Misfeldt, Independence Middle
Jason Niehoff, Kingston Elementary
Anthony Nobles, Plaza Middle
Gregory Nottingham, Renaissance Academy
Courtney Pace, Kellam High
Kelly Padilla, Linkhorn Park Elementary
Lisa Powers, Princess Anne Elementary
Winfred Ridley, Bayside High
Debbie Robertson, First Colonial High
Patricia Rogerson, Salem Middle
Bryan Rudolph, Frank W. Cox High
Valorie Sankey, Kempsville Meadows Elementary
Debbie Seth, New Castle Elementary
Constance Solheim, Princess Anne Middle
Michelle Sturgis, Salem High
Melissa Sullivan, First Colonial High
John Sutton III, First Colonial High
Diane Tarkenton, Landstown Middle
Lori Todd, Kempsville High
Carolyn Turner, Great Neck Middle
Kelly Turner, Kellam High
Camilla Walck, Princess Anne High
Bradley Ward, Rosemont Forest Elementary
Katie Warnock, Princess Anne Middle
Charlene Widel-Pembroke Meadows Elementary
Leslie Wildman-Alanton Elementary
Stephanie Wyman- Woodstock Elementary
Tell your friends!














I have been so impressed with the knowledge and enthusiasm of this group of professional educators. Their passion for students and for ensuring they continue to grow as teachers is a testament to each one. They are undaunted by the challenge of imagining the components of personalized learning; instead, they attack the work in a truly collaborative environment.