Meet the Cohort 1 Fuse MA Fellows
Fellowship from January 2018 - June 2019
Sam Bookston, Technology Integration Specialist at Needham High School
"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” - Benjamin Franklin
Achievements
- Coached 4 teachers at Walpole High School
- Implemented playlists and goal setting in her own course & developed a PD course for educators that uses strategies for BL classrooms
- Presented a design thinking session during a PD in March 2019
MyFuseMA Project
Rachel Dudley, Social Studies Teacher at Dedham High School
They may forget what you said — but they will never forget how you made them feel.” - Carl W. Buehner
Achievements
- Coached 3 pilot teachers at Coakley Middle School in Norwood, MA
- Collaborated closely with Fellows from 2 other districts to prepare materials and presentations for their partner district
- Participated in 4 days of training
MyFuseMA Project
Dana Gurwitch, History/Social Studies Teacher at The Education Cooperative High School in Walpole, MA
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” - W.B. Yeats
Mr. G has been teaching at TEC High School since 2000. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Intellectual History from the University of Pennsylvania and a Masters in Public Affairs/International Relations from UMASS Boston. The subjects Mr. Gurwitch most enjoys teaching are Criminal Justice and World History I. He lives in Quincy with his wife, two sons, and his dog, Sparky. He enjoys doing yoga and hiking during the little bit of free time he has!
Achievements
- Establishing the first use of Personal Learning Profiles at The Education Cooperative High School
- Promoting a blended and personalized learning mindset amongst colleagues
- Sparking various school-wide initiatives on cross-curricular courses, 21st century skills, green screen technology, digital citizenship, and more
- Co-designing and co-teaching two new Humanities courses at TEC High Schools on a blended, personalized model
- Coaching four Early Adopters at Needham High School with emphasis on four priority practices
MyFuseMA Project
Elizabeth Harris, English Teacher at TEC Phoenix Academy in Walpole, MA
“To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts. Every man is tasked to make his life, even in its details, worthy of the contemplation of his most elevated and critical hour.” - Henry David Thoreau, Walden
Achievements
- Discovered effective ways to reach and engage students at an individual level
- Developed authentic, creative technology-supported project-based opportunities that shift the classroom to a student-centered approach
- Shared knowledge gained & guided other educators
MyFuseMA Project
Marjorie Heim, Science Teacher at Blake Middle School in Medfield, MA
Creativity is a wild mind, with a disciplined eye.” - Dorothy Parker
Achievements
- Coached 4 teachers in Millis on blended & personalized learning strategies
- Presented at Medfield’s Digital Learning Day (DLD) on podcasting with a student
- Participated in Fuse MA panel for administrators in the TEC network
MyFuseMA Project
Eva Urban Hughes, Social Studies Teacher at Wayland High School
“I never teach my pupils. I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.” - Albert Einstein
Achievements
- Successfully coached 4 Needham HS pilot teachers on blended learning strategies
- Trained teacher coach specializing in personalized learning & increased student ownership of learning in her own courses
- Created implementation pathways to continue the work in her partner district
MyFuseMA Project
Angela Logan, English Teacher at Norwood High School
Achievements
- Led partner district in creating and implementing their vision for BL/PL
- Conducted debrief meetings with early adopters & shared resources and ideas on how to continue implementing the district’s priority practices
- Voted Teacher of the Month by colleagues due to her approach
MyFuseMA Project
Julie Lowerre, Innovation Integration Specialist at Dale Street School in Medfield, MA
“Technology will never replace great teachers, but technology in the hands of a great teacher can be transformational.” - George Couros
Achievements
- Presenter at MassCUE Fall 2018 and Fall 2019
- Passion Pitch Keynote presenter at Medfield Design Your Learning Day 2019
- Created playlists: Process, Properties and Parties
- Currently the Innovation Integration Specialist at Dale Street School
- Featured on Fuse MA "Keeping Up With the Cohorts"
MyFuseMA Project
Kerry Lynch, Science Teacher at Medfield High School
“Mistakes are proof that you are trying.”
Achievements
- Students are more engaged with more choice and control of the pace in her lessons
- Used strategies of blended learning to take a challenging class environment and transform the tone of the class to a positive learning experience for all
- Transformed the way that she thinks about teaching
Jill Milton, Elementary Math Coordinator, Norwood MA
“Blessed are the curious, for they shall have adventures.” - Lovelle Drachman
Achievements
- Provided feedback & actionable next steps while coaching 4 early adopters
- Surveyed students & used the feedback to develop student menus & playlists incorporating engaging online/offline resources
- Provided embedded PD focused on data driven micro differentiation & technology integration
MyFuseMA Project
Bethann Monahan, Technology Specialist & K-12 Department Head for Instructional Technology in Wayland, MA
“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” - Proverb
Achievements
- Co-presented at the Medfield Design Your Learning Day conference to showcase Fuse & the coaching model
- Developed & facilitated a teacher PD to promote/model the use of blended & personalized strategies
- Panel member at TEC to encourage Fuse participation in other districts
MyFuseMA Project
Chris Nardone, Grade 4 Teacher at Clyde F. Brown Elementary School in Millis, MA
“If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?”
- John Wooden
Achievements
- Led his school team in visiting a partner school in Rhode Island
- Successfully supported a district as a Fuse Fellow while simultaneously acting as an early adopter teacher in his own district
- Led a discussion around BL & playlists at a district staff meeting
Jimmy Odierna, Math Teacher & Interdisciplinary Learning Specialist at Needham High School
“Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” - John D. Rockefeller
Achievements
- Encouraged his early adopter teachers to bring more student choice into their classrooms
- Fell in love with implementing station rotation & started bringing gamification strategies into his math classroom
- In the process of bringing Project Based Learning training to Needham
MyFuseMA Project
Andrew Patterson, English Teacher at Dedham Middle School
“She belonged among schoolchildren. They made her confront sorrow and injustice. They made her feel useful...There were many problems she hadn’t solved. But it wasn’t for a lack of trying. She hadn’t given up. She had run out of time.” - Tracy Kidder
Achievements
- Focused on student voice, data reflection, & ownership in his classroom
- Created a district-based library of videos for blended and personalized learning strategies and techniques
- Presented to Dedham School Committee on the work done by teachers through the Fuse program
MyFuseMA Project
Lindsey Reichheld, Science Teacher at Walpole High School
“Life is like a bicycle. To stay balanced, you’ve got to keep moving forward.” - Albert Einstein
Achievements
- Coached & supported pilot teachers at Dedham High School
- Continued to develop & teach a rigorous semester genetics course offered through TEC online school
- Co-facilitated design team meetings in partner district to determine vision & priority practices
Cristina Serradas, Computer Teacher & Technology Facilitator at Coakley Middle School in Norwood, MA
Even if you fall on your face, you are still falling forward.” - Victor Kiam
Achievements
- Coached middle school teachers on best practices for blended learning
- Created videos for staff members to use & designed several personalized PD sessions
- Supported the district’s 1:1 rollout initiative & administration in the movement toward BL/PL
MyFuseMA Project
Ken Toomey, Grade 5 Teacher at Greenlodge Elementary School in Dedham, MA
“The most wasted day of all is that in which we have not laughed.” - Sébastien Nicolas de Chamfort
Ken Toomey is a fifth grade teacher at the Greenlodge School in Dedham, Massachusetts, where he has taught since 1990. He has been a member of the district Professional Development Committee, Science Committee, and the Aspiring Leaders Academy. For a few years he taught a class, “The Art of Science”, which district colleagues could take for graduate credit. An award winning singer [Dedham Idol 2007], Ken also has a listing on the Internet Movie Database.
Achievements
- Introduced playlists into his classroom as a way to provide differentiation and choice
- Coached four early adopters on BL/PL
- Piloted passion projects for students at his school
- Fuse MA Coordinator for Cohort 2
- Co-presented a workshop session on effective peer coaching at Medfield
- Design Your Learning Day and MassCUE, 2019
- Thought partnering with school colleagues on personalized learning