THS teacher selected as Marzano High Reliability Teacher

Alex Hargrave
Posted 9/25/20

Torrington High School English teacher Angie Schultz was recently accepted into the Marzano High Reliability Teacher program through the State Department of Education.

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THS teacher selected as Marzano High Reliability Teacher

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TORRINGTON – Torrington High School English teacher Angie Schultz was recently accepted into the Marzano High Reliability Teacher program through the State Department of Education. 

The professional development program, launched in March 2018, recognizes teacher effectiveness in three areas: effective use of instructional strategies, ensure student growth and valid and rigorous feedback. Simply put, the program will help Schultz better help her students. 

“I’m really hoping that these instructional strategies will show me how to be more effective as a teacher,” Schultz said. “I miss some of my kids sometimes, the way they need to learn. I’m hoping that this will help me pick up those ones I’m missing so I can engage my whole class, not just 90%.”

Schultz has taught sophomore English at THS for three years. Before coming to THS, she was an educator with the Cowboy Challenge Academy program in Guernsey for 13 years. Though she has years of experience under her belt, Schultz said it’s important for her to continue to learn if she expects her students to learn as well.

“At the beginning of my career, there wasn’t a whole lot of professional development,” she said. “It’s about taking in all the information and being the best I can be for my kids. If I’m not willing to learn and grow, how can I expect my students to learn and grow? I have to be willing to share that part of me.”

Moving through all three levels of the program takes four years on average, Schultz said, and she compared the expected time commitment to that of a college course. 

THS Principal Chase Christensen said he sent this application to all of his teachers and Schultz happened to be accepted. Given challenges for teachers navigating the classroom amid the pandemic, taking on such a commitment is “commendable,” Christensen said.

“It’s in a time when it’s easy to say ‘I’ve got too much on my plate right now, I’m not gonna take anything else on,’ she’s taking on something that’s pretty big,” Christensen said. 

Schultz said she didn’t realize the time commitment the HRT program requires, but she’s almost glad she was “blindsided.

“Because I might have scared myself out of doing it,” she said. “When can we ever do enough for our kids? And I have kids, I have grandkids, I have a lot of stuff going on in my life. but these guys are important. This next generation is important and it’s important for me to be better, so they can be better.”

THS educators have taken advantage of other professional development opportunities such as content area Masters’ degree programs and National Board Certification, which only help improve students’ education, Christensen said.

“(Schultz) cares immensely about the students in her classroom and education as a whole,” Christensen said. “I’ve seen it in other realms as well, it’s not just this program, but she is constantly working to get better for her students.”

Schultz said she hasn’t started the program yet, but hopes to start seeing some of its results in January or February. 

“I told my kids on Friday, the only person I’m in competition with is myself to be better,” Schultz said. “It’s not about anybody else. But if I’m better, not only will my kids benefit, but the school will benefit and that’s fine with me.”