Five Inspiring Teachers Named National 180 Award Winners for Fostering Both Personal and Academic Growth in Their Students

On National Teacher Appreciation Week, learning company Houghton Mifflin Harcourt honors educators for making it their mission to ensure success for all learners

BOSTON – Learning company Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) today announced the five outstanding educators who have been named recipients of the 13th Annual 180 Educator Awards. The awards recognize the exceptional commitment of READ 180, MATH 180 and System 44 educators who have helped foster both personal and academic growth in their students, enabling them to achieve success and understand their full potential in and out of the classroom.

The students of the 180 Educator Award winners have demonstrated significant gains in reading and math achievement due to their teachers’ dedication, support and ability to successfully harness the power of READ 180, System 44 and MATH 180—intervention programs that use adaptive technology to personalize student instruction and accelerate growth. While the 2019 180 Educator Award winners range in background and areas of expertise, they share the common goal of ensuring students have the foundational knowledge and skills that will position them for future success.

The 2019 180 Educator Award winners include:

Sandra Barcarolo, Naples, Florida
System 44
Palmetto Ridge High School

An exceptional teacher and consummate advocate for her System 44 English Language Learner (ELL) students, Ms. Barcarolo fosters a classroom community where students are comfortable to learn and take risks. Her class represents twelve different countries. She takes the time to work individually with her students and promotes small group instruction so she can provide immediate feedback while students learn collaboratively. Ms. Barcarolo encourages her students to read their System 44 books out loud and records their presentations so students and teacher colleagues can watch the videos as a learning experience.

Dianne Booth, Pearcy, Arkansas
MATH 180
Lake Hamilton Middle School

Ms. Booth consistently goes above and beyond for her MATH 180 students. A passionate educator with a degree from the University of Central Arkansas and over 13 years of experience, Ms. Booth is dedicated to improving the self-efficacy of her students by offering reassurance and advice on choices they make in and out of the classroom. She takes great pride in monitoring her students’ success. When a student is falling behind, she works with them individually until they demonstrate a solid understanding of the concept.

Nicole Krubski, Highland Park, New Jersey
READ 180, Stage C
Highland Park High School

A leader in the Highland Park School district for students and teachers using READ 180, Ms. Krubski developed and implemented strategies to meet the needs of different learners and is consistently responsive to the differing circumstances they face outside of the classroom. Every child is important to Ms. Krubski and as a teacher leader, she makes every effort to model for her colleagues how to support students and their families so every student can succeed socially and academically in the school environment. Ms. Krubski sets clear expectations and communicates effectively, and her approachable disposition brings people together.

Hector McCormick, Bellevue, Washington
READ 180, Stage A
Lake Hills Middle School

Students in Hector McCormick’s fifth grade READ 180 class understand that he sets high expectations for their growth in reading, and they work hard every day to reach those expectations and most often, surpass them. He infuses rigorous, culturally-relevant instruction, paired with strong social emotional support. Mr. McCormick makes learning authentic through the implementation of buddy classroom visits where older struggling students mentor younger students, helping them to build self-confidence, literacy skills and community involvement. Colleagues describe Mr. McCormick as an incredibly dedicated teacher who works hard to know each of his students, including their academic and personal needs

Trelawny Shepherd, Grapevine, Texas
READ 180, Stage B
Grapevine Middle School

Ms. Shepherd teaches sixth to eighth grade students and is a strong believer that all children have the right to learn, be educated and be loved. She fosters a classroom culture where students feel safe and comfortable, and their voices are heard and respected. She is passionate about promoting growth mindset, perseverance, grit and intrinsic motivation. Using data from the READ 180 program, coupled with district progress monitoring tools, Ms. Shepherd ensures each student’s growth is celebrated and encouraged throughout their learning journey.

We are honored to recognize the accomplishments of the 2019 180 Educator Award winners, whose commitment to motivating and empowering young learners has impacted these students’ life trajectories forever. Education really can change everything.” said Rose Else-Mitchell, Chief Learning Officer, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. “Teachers’ power and passion are the driving force behind student success. Every day, and especially during National Teacher Appreciation Week, we celebrate these -- and all U.S.-- educators for the profound impact they have on shaping our future generation.”

180 Educator Award winners are nominated by their colleagues and students, and selected by a team of HMH literacy and math experts that review demonstrated improvement in reading and math based on average Lexile™ or Quantile™ gains in each educator’s classroom. Submissions include a recorded personal statement from the educators, as well as references from those colleagues and students who have experienced their impact firsthand.

The 180 Educator Award winners will be honorary guests at the 2019 Model Schools Conference in Washington, D.C. in June, where they will be recognized for their accomplishments at an awards ceremony. They will also receive a classroom library of HMH titles.

To learn more about the 2019 180 Educator Award, including their recorded personal statements that explain the impact they have had on their students, please visit the READ 180 Community page.

About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (NASDAQ: HMHC) is a learning company committed to delivering integrated solutions that engage learners, empower educators and improve student outcomes. As a leading provider of K–12 core curriculum, supplemental and intervention solutions and professional learning services, HMH partners with educators and school districts to uncover solutions that unlock students' potential and extend teachers' capabilities. HMH serves more than 50 million students and 3 million educators in 150 countries, while its award-winning children's books, novels, non-fiction, and reference titles are enjoyed by readers throughout the world. For more information, visit www.hmhco.com.

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CONTACT:
Meghan Anderson
Communications Manager, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Meghan.Anderson@hmhco.com
617-351-5163