By Triangle Day School
February 1, 2024
At TDS we are so fortunate to have our Student Success Team, made up of counselors, learning support staff, and various administrators, who all partner together to help students reach their full potential during their time here. While working with students and families is their primary task, a lot happens behind the scenes. This team meets bimonthly to discuss notes related to their caseloads, collaborate with one another to try new strategies and approaches, and facilitate ways to support teachers and students throughout the year. We know some of you are more familiar with these faces than others, but we wanted to introduce everyone to the core academic-learning support-people of this team, so you can get to know them a little better!
Jenn Phillips: Literacy Specialist
What is your role at TDS?
My role as the literacy specialist consists of planning, teaching, and evaluating instruction for students having difficulty (or needing a boost) with reading or writing. Depending on individual needs, I may work with students 1:1, in small groups, and in the classroom settings. Additionally, I facilitate literacy program efforts, collaborate to improve school-wide literacy by supporting teacher learning and professional development, and assess students regularly to determine their progress and needs. Ultimately, though, my main goal is to intervene in an interesting, joyful, and effective way, accelerate our students’ growth as readers, and get them on a better track in terms of their literacy developments. My hope is that our students will continue their development toward becoming life-long readers, writers, and learners.
What is your favorite part about your job?
My most favorite part of my job is seeing the pride and confidence students show when they are successful at a task we are working on. I am rewarded by working with students and seeing the amazing progres they can make when given targeted instruction designed specifically for them. I have had countless students tell me, brimming with pride at their achievements, that they love reading now—and hearing that never gets old!
What is one thing your students probably don’t know about you?
Working with students in a small group gives me time for connection and sharing stories. My students definitely know about my two silly dogs and that I have teenagers in (and starting) college. They probably know my favorite wild animal, preferred colors and regular snacks. (It’s amazing how reading together promotes these kinds of conversations!) What my students DON’T know about me is that as a young student, I really disliked reading aloud in front of other people. I was not a confident reader until I was given the tools I needed to become a strong reader. Being given a positive and supportive reading environment changed the way I felt about myself and literacy. I hope I am giving this back to the students I work with.
Hilary Virdin: Learning Specialist
What is your role at TDS?
One of the things I enjoy most about my job is the fact that every day is different. In addition to meeting with small groups of students to offer support in different subject areas, I also meet with children individually to focus on the acquisition of specific skills. At times, I push into classrooms to assist with specific lessons or content areas, and at others, I may teach whole-class lessons. Many of my large group activities focus on the importance of building executive functioning skills, not only for older children, but also for our students in TK. Come sixth grade, all students spend one of the first two quarters in my executive functioning skills class, in which we learn about the myriad skills one needs in order to “get things done.”
What is your favorite part about your job?
As a learning specialist, I love being able to work with all of the students (and their teachers) from ages four to fourteen.
What is one thing your students probably don’t know about you?
When I am not at school, I am generally with my own three children and our bevy of animals. Believe it or not, we have five pets: three cats and two dogs!
Chris Warner: 3rd–8th Grade Math Specialist & Middle School Math Teacher
What is your role at TDS?
While Ali Carnes is away on maternity leave, my role has shifted to strictly teaching four sections of middle school math (6th through 8th). I still like to make time when I can to work with students who are struggling with math topics, as well as those who are looking for opportunities to expand into higher level topics.
What is your favorite part about your job?
I love getting to work with students everyday and seeing them piece together the material that we’re working on. My absolute favorite part is when something that a student found really difficult clicks with them, and they have that “Oh yeah” moment.
What is one thing your students probably don’t know about you?
I would love to have a small farm with chinchillas, corgis, and capybaras.
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