2022-2023 Armstrong Teacher Educators

Kara Baugues

5th Grade
Inspire Academy: A School Of Inquiry

"It is not about where you are; it is about how much you will grow." This is a quote that is used frequently in Kara Baugues's classroom. Kara is a fifth-grade teacher at Inspire Academy in Muncie. She is an active member of her school community by being involved with the Instructional Leadership Team and the Executive Advisory Team. She prides herself on being authentic with her students. When students take a test like the NWEA or the Achieve 3000 test, she analyzes the data with each student individually. She makes sure that all of the students celebrate the growth that they have made throughout the year. One of the key aspects of Inspire Academy is pushing students to learn outside of school. Each year the students will engage in projects that are outside of the classrooms and allow for students to get involved with the community."

Amy Cole

High School Mathematics
Tipton Community School Corporation

In her 34 years of teaching, Amy Cole has taught everything from 7th-grade math through AP Calculus as well as computer science. She is currently teaching Algebra, ACP Pre-Calculus, and ACP/AP Calculus at Tipton High School. She also is the High School Math Department Chair, the High Ability Coordinator, the High School Tech Integration Specialist, and the Tipton Education Association President. One of her main goals for her students is to be accountable for their work and learn how to survive in a rigorous class before entering college or the workforce. She also wants to make sure that they learn with great effort and comes great rewards. "For me, the key to getting "rigor and "accountability" from students is to provide a safe, caring learning environment for them as well as convey to them my huge passion for mathematics and my desire to see them reach their highest potential."

Tina DuBrock

Kindergarten
Lake Central School Corporation

Tina DuBrock is in her 19th year of teaching kindergarten for the Lake Central School Corporation. Tina loves what she does, and it shows. She builds an atmosphere where students are loved and empowered. One can feel this when walking into her room. To set her students up for success, expectations are always given, and choices are modeled. Students also have the freedom to pick where they sit and have a variety of seating choices, including yoga balls, scoop chairs, wobble stools, standing or cushions for the floor. This allows students to find the arrangement that works best for them at the moment. Mrs. DuBrock can be seen at many events around the community so that she gets to know her student's families. When out of the classroom, Tina gardens, crochets, and looks up new ideas on how to make her classroom more fun.

Leigh Anne Eck

6th Grade English
Vincennes Community School Corporation

Leigh Anne Eck is a 6th-grade English language arts teacher at George Rogers Clark Middle School. During her teaching day, she tries to make every lesson a way to help students become better readers and writers and to see the importance of literacy in their everyday lives. She believes that reading and writing are not just something we do for school but something we do for life. Outside of her classroom, Leigh Anne writes for Choice Literacy, an online website dedicated to literacy practices. She has presented professional development sessions at the local, state, and national level. She enjoys working with colleagues and other teachers across the country to improve literacy practices and modeling how to live a literate life.

Nina Graue

High School English
Decatur Community School Corporation

Nina Graue teaches high school English at North Decatur Jr./Sr. High School in the southern part of the state. Nina strives to instill a love of learning in her students. She focuses on teaching the whole student to ensure that each and every one of them gains critical thinking skills, life skills, curiosity, and compassion. Building relationships and connections are the foundations for success, according to Nina. In doing so, Nina believes her impact can reach far and wide, even beyond the school's walls. Nina's passion for teaching and learning is contagious. She loves words, language, writing, reading, performing, and helping others to appreciate those things as well.

Sara Mobley

Kindergarten
Richland Bean-Blossom Consolidated Schools

Sara Mobley teaches kindergarten at Edgewood Primary School. Her passion for teaching and the love for her students is continuously exhibited through her actions and communication with others. She places a high level of importance on creating a positive and respectful relationship with her students and families. She loves to make learning exciting and is amazed by the growth that students can make in one year. According to her principal, Sara's broad understanding of pedagogy and her intuitive understanding of how to guide student learning allows every student to make tremendous academic gains. She brings a depth of knowledge and a wealth of experience that immediately generates well-deserved respect from her colleagues.

Bethany Moore

3rd Grade
Lanesville Community Schools

Bethany Moore is a 3rd-grade teacher at Lanesville Elementary School in Lanesville, Indiana, and has been teaching for 16 years. She strives to create a learning environment for her students in which they are free to take risks, be involved in their own learning process, collaborate with their peers, and become problem solvers. Her motto in the classroom is Mistakes are proof we are learning, and her students know this to be true. She serves on several vital committees within her school, is always ready to embrace local university teaching candidates in their practicums, and works with the Indiana Department of Education as a mentor for the Teacher Leader Bootcamp program.

Bethany Newsom

Technology Integration Specialist
Lebanon Community School Corporation

Bethany Newsom served many years as an elementary classroom teacher and is currently the Technology Integration Specialist in Lebanon Community School Corporation. She believes creating a trusting relationship with her students and teachers is an essential first step to improving student learning. She understands the curriculum content pressures that a teacher faces and works to provide relevant technology integration components into lessons to inspire and engage students. She also works side-by-side with teachers to design and model best instructional practices they can seamlessly integrate into their classrooms. She provides support, training, and assistance to teachers, students, and families.

Stephanie Nuckols

8th Grade English
Clay Community Schools

Stephanie Nuckols is an 8th-grade English Teacher at North Clay Middle School. She has been a teacher for 20 years and is very passionate about her students and community. She is very involved in her school. She is a cheer coach and the sponsor for the Spell Bowl Team. She aims to build relationships with her students and get students excited to learn each day. The instruction she implements in her classroom is a balance between hands-on learning and the use of technology. She is dedicated to meeting her students' needs, whether they are socially, emotionally, or academically. She wants to make each student feel like their voice is heard and valued. In her classroom, she uses differentiation in order to support all of her students and meet them where they are.

Whitney Reed

K-5 STEAM
Mitchell Community School

Whitney Reed is currently the K-5 STEAM specials teacher for Mitchell Community Schools and the first Armstrong Educator Award recipient from Lawrence County. Whitney's goal is to bring exciting and authentic learning experiences to the students of Mitchell. Much of her class is dedicated to deepening the skills of communication, collaboration, problem-solving, perseverance, independence, and developing a growth mindset. With these skills, she believes her students can achieve their best lives in and out of school. Family nights and community partner involvement are a highlight of her school year. Whitney takes pride in being a STEAM leader in her schools, cohort 4 ROI STEM Fellow, Yoga sponsor, and Elementary Robotics Coach.

Beth Small

3rd Grade High Ability
Shelbyville Central Schools

Beth Small is a 3rd Grade High Ability teacher at Coulston Elementary School. As a self-proclaimed lifelong learner, she strives to learn alongside her students. Her goal is to build a classroom environment that is a safe space for students to learn from their mistakes and grow. One of the ways she achieves this is by developing strong connections with each of her students. Beth is an active member within her school. She is the cross country coach, the co-chair of the Parent involvement committee, and part of the Principle Advisory Committee. She is also a member of the Multitiered system of supports team for the last three years. This team works with classroom teachers to address students' academic and behavioral needs. She helps establish a positive culture in her school by creating thoughtful displays in the hallway and having a calendar up with daily celebrations. This allows for students to have something to celebrate every day.

Rashieta Woods

5th Grade
MSD Washington Township

Rashieta Woods is a 5th-grade teacher at Allisonville Elementary School. She describes herself as being "passionate and unapologetic." In her classroom, she models being authentic to herself and encourages all of her students to follow her lead. She is a member of the District Equity Leadership team, which is dedicated to improving systems and policies in order to make education accessible to all students. Her class is rooted in social justice and self-expression. One of her key policies in her class is to engage her students in real-life experiences and encourage them to be engaged with their community. Rashieta believes that the best way to cultivate a supportive and collaborative learning community is by encouraging students to express themselves and contribute from their funds of knowledge.