Being a recipient of the Presidential Award means I have dedicated my career to understanding how students learn mathematics and implementing that knowledge daily. Receiving the Presidential Award means I am a member of a prestigious group of educators who believe in students, delve deep into mathematical practices, and strive for excellence in education. This award means I have created a safe space for students to explore with tools, foster understanding, and pursue excellence in mathematics.

Callie Harris Maize, KS | K-6, Mathematics, 2020

The official biography below was current at the time of the award.

Callie Harris has taught in elementary schools for 17 years. She taught second grade for seven years at McLean Science/Technology Magnet Elementary School in the Wichita Public Schools before moving to Maize Elementary School in Maize, Kansas. After three years teaching first grade, Callie transitioned to the mathematics improvement position teaching kindergarten through fifth grade, where she has spent the last seven years. Beginning in the 2021-2022 school year, Callie will be an assistant principal at Pray-Woodman Elementary School in the Maize School District. While serving as the Math Interventionist, Callie trained staff to use student data to meet individual student needs. Weekly, she met with grade level teams to discuss research based strategies while looking at data to drive instruction. During her tenure as an interventionist, Callie was able to work with more than 100 students daily who had the highest mathematical needs. Callie has served on district and building level committees for multi-tiered systems for support; the mathematics cadre at the district level; the building leadership team; and the general education intervention team. She has taught many professional learning courses addressing research-based best practices. In 2019, Callie won a nearly $12,000 grant to implement a Stop Everything and STEAM Day for her school building. Utilizing these funds allowed all students in the building to participate in STEAM events monthly. This grant opened doors for community partnerships with the Wichita State University College of Engineering which has continued through the 2021 school year. Callie has a B.A. in elementary education with a middle level mathematics endorsement; an M.A. in curriculum and instruction; and an endorsement in educational leadership.

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