Danyelle Morris

I have been an educator since 1999, teaching English and ESL while in the classroom in addition to working with New Arrival students. I worked two years as an English Instructional Interventionist, successfully helping Crosby High School receive two distinctions from the State of Texas, in the areas of "College Readiness" and "Closing the Learning Gap". We also were able to successfully reduce our number of English EOC retesters by sixty percent.

As a district instructional specialist, my work targeted helping all content area teachers increase engagement and learning through research-proven instructional practices. I spent two years as a high school assistant principal, one semester as an Interim Principal, and I currently serve as an Associate Principal of Curriculum and Instruction. I transform campus culture and climate by fostering strong relationships and supporting and celebrating staff, creating an environment where educators feel valued, motivated, and empowered to succeed.

Associate Principal - Tarkington High School - 2770 FM 163, Cleveland, TX 77327

(2024-01)

• Oversee and support the implementation of instructional strategies to ensure the academic success of students, particularly in English Language Proficiency (TELPAS) and closing achievement gaps.
• Lead and coordinate professional development opportunities, including Flash PD, based on weekly walkthrough data to address areas of need for faculty and staff.
• Conduct regular classroom walkthroughs, providing feedback on instruction, student engagement, and adherence to the curriculum.
• Manage student behavior and ensure adherence to the school's code of conduct, supporting the school's discipline team in addressing issues as they arise.
• Collaborate with department heads, faculty, and staff to develop and implement school-wide initiatives focused on improving student outcomes and fostering a positive school culture.
• Support students' academic progress by monitoring assessments, intervening where necessary, and coordinating with counselors for student needs, including special education and at-risk students.
• Facilitate communication between parents, students, and staff, ensuring transparency and collaboration in addressing student needs and concerns.

Interim Principal - Tarkington High School - 2770 FM 163, Cleveland, TX 77327

(2024-03 - 2024-05)

• Managed overall school operations, ensuring compliance with district and state regulations while overseeing staff and daily activities.
• Led the implementation of instructional strategies, improving student achievement and aligning practices with district goals.
• Coordinated the administration of end-of-year assessments, including EOCs, ensuring proper testing protocols and preparation.
• Focused on rebuilding the school's culture after a difficult year following the departure of the previous administrator by restoring staff morale, fostering open communication, and re-establishing trust.
• Played a central role in organizing and overseeing graduation and other end-of-year activities, ensuring smooth logistics and a celebratory atmosphere for students.
• Worked closely with faculty to support students' academic progress and provide targeted interventions, especially during a transition period.
• Managed student discipline and behavior, maintaining a safe and productive learning environment.
• Ensured smooth execution of end-of-year events, leaving a positive and lasting impact on the school community.

Assistant Principal - Tarkington High School - 2770 FM 163, Cleveland, TX 77327

(2022-01 - 2024-01)

• Campus 504, SPED, and ESL administrator.
• Increasing community and school partnerships through outreach--community tailgates before home games, sponsorships during teacher appreciation week, and student volunteer programs at the nursing home, community food pantry, and student incentives (attendance).
• Reducing behavior problems in students by 24% from the previous school year, by building strong parent and school relationships.
• School-wide trainings from elementary through high school in effective instructional practices to increase student engagement and performance in writing and classroom speaking opportunities.
• District level presentations of "Engaging Emergent Bilingual Students in the Whole Classroom Experience."
• Increased the number of ESL exits from 2021-22 school year to the 2022-2023 school year by 48%.
• Increased the number of ESL certified teachers by 35% in the 2023-2024 school year through targeted professional development and ESL supplemental preparation training.
• Improved campus morale by implementing monthly events for staff and students: Souper Bowl of Educators, March Madness, Fall Food Drive and Fun Fest, Fun Fridays, Christmas of Caring, and other events that positively impacted the school as a whole.

District ESL Secondary Specialist - Goose Creek CISD - Baytown, TX

(2020-01 - 2022-12)

• Curriculum Writer for secondary level New Arrival program.
• Scope and Sequence writer.
• Implemented weekly Coffee Talks for all Emergent Bilingual teachers across the district. These coffee talks gave mini professional development opportunities and kept teachers abreast of all things ESL.
• Provided ESL TExES Test Prep courses for teachers across the district in an effort to have all core content area teachers ESL certified.
• Coteaching and modeling research based instructional practices over 12 campuses district-wide.
• Introduced Summit K12 to secondary campuses to create opportunities for significant language proficiency growth for our Emergent Bilingual students.
• Trained paras across the district to become more efficient in the classroom as co-teachers.
• Presenter for state wide professional development presentations for Texas Association of Bilingual Educators: "Writing & Technology: What a Pear! Using Pear Deck to Build Writing Skills" and "Motivate, Write, Feedback, Right?"
• Awarded the district's first seven students the Performance Acknowledgement for Biliteracy and Bilingualism.

EdD - Lamar University

M.Ed. - Lamar University (2013)