 Susan Nations is an author, national literacy consultant, conference presenter and school-based Literacy Coach. She is the co-author of Primary Literacy Centers: Making Reading and Writing STICK!, More Primary Literacy Centers: Making Reading and Writing STICK! and So Much Stuff, So Little Space: Creating and Managing the Learner Centered Classroom published by Maupin House (www.maupinhouse.com). She co-authored 40 Literacy Center Flipbooks for Teaching Resource Center (www.trcabc.com). She has also written over 250 teacher's guides for Gareth Stevens Weekly Reader Early Learning Library (www.GarethStevens.com).
In addition to her site-based job, Susan is highly requested to speak and present at local, state, and national conferences. Most recently, she has presented for the North Carolina Regional ASCD Conference, Florida Reading Association Conference, The International Reading Association National Conference and the Staff Development for Educators (SDE) National Conferences. She has also provided customized literacy training for schools and districts around the United States.
As a Literacy Coach at Gocio Elementary School in the Sarasota County School System, she currently works with students and teachers in K-5 at the school site to implement and improve literacy instruction. She conducts model lessons in classrooms frequently and arranges for staff development to help meet literacy needs at Gocio. She also helps facilitate workshops and book studies on her campus and throughout the district. In 2005, Susan was selected as Sarasota County’s 2004-2005 District Teacher of the Year. |
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 Suzi Boyett is co author of So Much Stuff, So Little Space (2002). She presents workshops for teachers at the national, state, and local levels. Suzi's energetic approach to instruction inspires teachers to continue their learning. Her ability to present teacher-tested strategies make her sessions practical, popular, and packed with usable ideas.
She is currently serving as project director of a grant for a preschool program in two school districts. Suzi has been a literacy coach and teacher of grades K-3 and has just completed her Masters Degree in Education.
A copy of Suzi's resume is available for download
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 Debra Voege is a Data Coach and Math and Science Curriculum Resource Teacher at the elementary school level. She has more than twenty-five years of experience in the field of education and has taught students from early intervention programs through the doctoral level, as well as serving as an elementary school principal for nine years. She co-authored “Integration of children with attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity into youth sport,” published in PALAESTRA, a professional journal for physical educators. She has also participated in district and state level committees contributing to documents and publications that have been widely used by educators. Over the years, she has provided workshops on a variety of topics to thousands of students and parents, as well as educators in the fields of education and social services.
At her school site, Debra coordinates school, district and state level testing and then works with the students, parents, teachers, and administrators to understand how the results inform instruction. She provides in-service opportunities on initiatives in math science instruction and is a district trainer for McREL, High Impact Instructional Strategies the Work (www.mcrel.com) and Project CRISS: CReating Independence through Student-owned Strategies (www.projectcriss.com). Debra also coordinates the school’s extended learning opportunities for students which includes Go-Getters, a before and after school intervention program and Saturday Success Seekers, a 7-week program focusing on the high-stakes state tests.
Outside of her duties at school, Debra serves as a math, science, and social studies curriculum consultant for Gareth Stevens Weekly Reader (www.GarethStevens.com) and Ticktock Media Ltd, an independent publisher in the United Kingdom (www.ticktock.co.uk). She has also written over 75 teacher's guides for the Gareth Stevens Weekly Reader Early Learning Library division.
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 Sandy Waite, M. Ed., currently teaches fifth grade gifted and advanced work students at Gocio Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida. She has taught nearly every grade from preschool through fifth grade in Connecticut, Kentucky and now in Florida over the past 20 years. She received National Board Certification in Early to Middle Childhood Literacy in 2005 and continues to mentor teachers who are seeking their National Board Certification. Sandy is a literacy consultant for Gareth Stevens Publishing where she serves as a book leveling consultant and writes teachers' guides for guided reading texts. Sandy is also a Kagan cooperative learning trainer. She helps conduct workshops and models lessons in the district and in her classroom. Sandy regularly mentors teachers to give them support in literacy development and to assist with classroom management. She is passionate about implementing reading best practices to help maximize student learning. She is anticipating the publication of her new book on intermediate literacy stations with Susan Nations in the year 2008.
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 Mellissa Alonso is an author, national literacy consultant, conference presenter and Elementary Assistant Principal. Mellissa is the co-author of Primary Literacy Centers: Making Reading and Writing STICK! and More Primary Literacy Centers: Making Reading and Writing STICK! She worked with Susan to develop the Literacy Procedure Flip Books for Teaching Resource Center. She was also featured in Newbridge Publishing’s Professional Development Video Program: Guided Reading: A Focus on Informational Texts.
Mellissa has been a district resource teacher for Elementary Reading and Language Arts in Hillsborough County, the twelfth largest school district in the nation. Mellissa writes and delivers literacy training in her district. She has been an integral part of the team that initiated the Reading Coaches Project in Hillsborough County. Teachers and Reading Specialists are trained as Reading Coaches to provide site-based follow up to district level training. Mellissa has been involved in a number of district projects including: K-1 Reading Inservice Course, K-1 Centers Video Projects, 2-3 Reading Inservice Course, 2-3 Centers, Oral Reading Records, K-2 FCAT and DRA training. Mellissa is also a trained Developing Literacy First facilitator. She has presented at several local, state and national level conferences and workshops.
Mellissa has received many acknowledgements and awards for her work. She received the Celebrate Literacy Award from the Hillsborough County Council of the International Reading Association. This award honored her exceptional contributions to literacy for the school district. In 2005, she was selected as Hillsborough’s District Teacher of the Year. |
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