Michelle Wetzel

Vita of Michelle Wetzel

703 Beechwood Drive 610-649-0229 (Home)

Havertown, PA 19083 206-853-6043 (Cell)

MichWetzel@gmail.com

Teaching Experience

Haverford Township School District Havertown, PA October 2003 to Present

Chatham Park Elementary School- Library Media Specialist

Manoa Elementary School - Fourth Grade Classroom Teacher

Lynnewood Elementary School - Fourth Grade Classroom Teacher

· Planned and facilitated school-wide author visit. Chaired committee, coordinated events and public relations, organized book signing.

· Implemented Apple Tree Book Club, in which grades 1-5 set year-long reading goals and receive recognition for their efforts.

· Planned and led district-wide workshops focusing on School Library skills: Destiny 7.0, The Big6 Research Process, and Collaborating with the SLMS.

· Organized Scholastic’s Book Fair, including two Family Nights, in which we raised over $2,000 for library resources.

· Received ongoing, formal training in Educational Testing Service’s Formative Assessment Modules over a two year period.

· Attended curriculum sessions led by District Math Coordinator to write new Science Student Logs and Formative Assessments for Math which are currently being used by all fourth grade teachers throughout the District.

· Attended Four Blocks Reading training and pilot sessions and applied new strategies in Guided Reading, Writing, Vocabulary, and Self-Selected Reading to the District-wide Houghton Mifflin Language Arts curriculum.

· Met monthly with grade-level peers throughout the district to collaborate on Everyday Mathematics curriculum training and coaching.

· Implemented a Responsive Classroom approach with homeroom students which had a positive influence on student relationships and interactions.

· Served for two years as fourth and fifth grade coach for two-hand touch football and track teams.

· Collaborated with colleagues during Pennsylvania Teacher Induction meetings to create authentic assessments and discuss various issues in education.

· Organized a school-wide paper recycling program and Waste-Free Wednesday lunch program.

· Chaired the Pennies for Patients fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society which raised over $1000.

· Chaired the Alex’s Lemonade Stand fundraiser for childhood cancer research which raised over $500.

Madrona Elementary School Seattle, WA August 2000 to August 2003

Sixth Grade Classroom Teacher

Three quarters of the student enrollment on free and reduced lunch; ethnically diverse student population

· Planned and instructed subject areas using a wide variety of teaching aids, computer software, as well as motivational and implementation strategies to engage students in active learning.

· Successfully integrated and worked with at-risk, special needs, learning disabled, and multicultural students including limited-English proficient second language learners. Participated in Individualized Education Plan sessions.

· Participated in a two-year math project and action research to implement new math curriculum. Worked together with 6th Grade Math teachers and Seattle Pacific University professors to gain a deeper understanding of math concepts.

· Planned and led week-long Outdoor School with a focus on water ecology, outdoor skills, heritage, forest ecosystems, and wildlife.

· Served as Highline Education Association Representative for three years.

Deer Park Elementary School Baltimore, MD August 1999 to June 2000

Fifth Grade Classroom Teacher

A third of student population received free and reduced lunch, 98% African-American students

Utilized appropriate objectives, strategies, and assessments to obtain maximum learning from every child.

Education

Mansfield University Mansfield, PA January 2007 to Present

Candidate for Masters in School Library and Information Technology

Gwynedd-Mercy College Philadelphia, PA July 2006

Masters of Science in Reading with Reading Specialist Certification GPA: 4.0

Loyola College in Maryland Baltimore, MD May 1999

Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education Overall GPA: 3.63 Major GPA: 3.8

Honors: Dean’s List; Cum Laude

Bath Spa University College Bath, England September to December 1997

Professional Activities

· Selected to serve as member of Grading Committee to conduct “gap analysis” assessment of grading and reporting systems for the Haverford Township School District; served as active member of Grading Committee with a focus on Mastery Learning and delivered formal recommendation to the District school board.

· Chairperson of the School Programs Committee: organized all school assemblies.

Professional Associations

National Education Association (NEA)

American Association for School Librarians (AASL)

American Library Association (ALA)

Presentations

· Creatively taught and facilitated Formative Assessment philosophies and techniques to entire teaching staff at Lynnewood Elementary School.

· Led multiple district-wide teacher training sessions to implement Pat Cunningham’s Four Blocks Framework for Language Arts curriculum across all elementary grade levels throughout the Haverford School District.

Grants

· Haverford Township Education Foundation Grant. Awarded $500 for Dan Gutman Author Visit. 2009.

· Applied for and received No Limit! Technology Grant: integrated five desktops, a laptop, projector, scanner, laser printer, and digital camera into curriculum. Collaborated and generated goals with 7^th grade teachers linked with state-wide testing. Leveraged the two years of training and research of math software and various educational technologies into the classroom.

· Recipient of MAD Grant: gained additional funding for math and computer software used to enhance mathematical vocabulary and basic skills.

Computer Skills

MAC, PC’s, Windows 98 and XP, word-processing, Cornerstone Math Software, Accelerated Reader, Internet research, digital camera, laptops, AlphaSmart, Smartboard, Nettrekker, Destiny 7.0

Additional Information

· Completion of Portland Marathon 2001, Philadelphia Marathon 2003

· Circumnavigation of Mt. Rainier’s Wonderland Trail; 100+ miles and 14 days/nights

· Varsity member Loyola Crew 1995-1998, Dad Vail Champion 1997

· Roland Park Pool Swim Team Coach 1993-1998

· Interests: drawing, French, Spanish, running, swimming, rowing, outdoors, hiking

Professional References

Dan Marsella, Principal

Chatham Park Elementary

610-853-5900 ext. 6000

marsella@havsd.net

Susan Mingey, Principal