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Leaders of Literacy Podcasts2021-06-14T13:16:47-04:00

Welcome to our Podcast

Welcome to the Leaders of Literacy Podcast Series. Episodes are released monthly and are designed to enhance your understanding of research-based topics related to improving third-grade literacy outcomes. Through this podcast, the West Virginia Leaders of Literacy: Campaign for Grade-Level Reading team strives to connect educators with early literacy research and resources in order to provide every West Virginia child with the best opportunities possible.

Are you ready to become a leader of literacy?

Latest episodes

Explore our professional, curated podcast content.

Episode 38: Interview with Dr. Richard Cash

Every year students enter our classrooms with issues or events that have impacted their executive functioning and ability to self-regulate. The COVID-19 pandemic will likely exacerbate this issue and educators are likely to see a sharp increase in students this fall that will struggle with the ability to self-regulate. In order to combat this issue and set students up to be successful at the start of the school year, educators will need to be aware of the tools that they can equip their students with to focus and pay attention, keep their emotions in check, adjust to change or handle the frustration that comes with interacting with others or learning new things.

Today, Brandie Turner and I are speaking with Dr. Richard Cash to discuss the basics of self-regulation and where educators can begin to build self-regulation practices into their classrooms.

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Episode 37: Interview with Alyson Kangisser and Jessica Watt

Our students enter our schools and classrooms with more on their shoulders and hearts than we realize. Supporting their mental health is a crucial step in helping them lift this weight, but it can seem like a daunting task for any educator. Collaborating with other staff within our buildings can be a great way to make supporting and developing positive mental health practices in our classrooms more manageable and intentional.

Sara Hutchinson and I sit down with school counselors, Allyson Kangisser and Jessica Watt, to discuss their roles, as well as how they collaborate with classroom educators within their schools to plan and implement intentional mental health practices that benefits all students.

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Episode 36: Supporting Mental Health in the Classroom

Student mental health is currently a big focus in education. But what do educators need to know about mental health and where can they begin?

Sara Hutchinson and I sit down to discuss these questions and more as we focus today’s conversation on the West Virginia Tiered System of Support with a specific focus on supporting mental health in our schools and classrooms.

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Episode 35: Interview with Darlene Dingess-Adkins

Planning for extended learning opportunities is an important task that our district leaders and community partners engage in annually; however, with the impact on learning that the COVID-19 pandemic has had, it is critical to ensure that these extended learning opportunities are rigorous, engaging, and meaningful to support students’ learning recovery.

Today, Brittany Fike and I sit down with Darlene Dingess-Adkins, a fellow West Virginia Educator from Logan County, to discuss how Logan County has created a unique extended learning opportunity that supports learning recovery.

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The podcast is structured around the four components of the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. Select one of the components below to find more episodes related to the topic.

School Readiness episodes focus on the research, resources, and programs that highlight the importance of ensuring that children have access to the best available resources prior to entering school

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Attendance episodes focus on research, resources, and programs that work towards reducing chronic absenteeism in the early grades in order to establish good attendance habits and combat chronic absence. 

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Extended learning episodes focus on research, resources, and programs to support students when they are not in school.  The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading emphasizes the need for summer programming

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High-Quality Instruction episodes focus on providing teachers with research-based professional learning and resources on high-quality, standards-aligned instructional materials, best teaching practices, and learning environments that will lead to student

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Meet the Team

Becky Lewis

Early Literacy Specialist

Becky has 10 years of classroom experience as a general classroom teacher and Literacy Specialist working with students in grades K-12. She spent the majority of that time in an elementary setting, where she obtained her National Board Teaching Certification in Early and Middle Childhood Literacy. This is Becky’s 2nd year working on the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. Her love of literacy, learning, and children motivates her to continue to develop her knowledge of early literacy development and pass that knowledge on in order to provide all WV children with the best educational experiences possible.

Maggie Luma

State Lead: WV Campaign for Grade Level Reading

Maggie has worked on the Leaders of Literacy: Campaign for Grade Level Reading since 2015. Currently, she serves as the State Lead for the Campaign and as Literacy Coordinator at the West Virginia Department of Education.  As a self-proclaimed life-long learner, Maggie feels passionate about continuing education and professional development. In her spare time, she enjoys journaling, reading, and listening to her favorite podcasts. She is thrilled to combine her passions and bring the podcasting format to educators in West Virginia.

Brittany Fike

Early Literacy Specialist

Brittany has experience working in the classroom with students from preschool to fifth grade where she was dedicated to utilizing a variety of developmentally appropriate practices in order to engage students and support their academic, social, and emotional needs. Her background in Elementary and Early-Childhood Education, as well as Special Education and Autism, has led to her passion for helping those in the education community provide the best opportunities possible for all children. Her background, experience, and passion supports her desire to provide meaningful professional development for educators where they can use the knowledge they gain to strengthen the learning opportunities for all children in our state.

Brandie Turner

Early Literacy Specialist

Brandie has 11 years of experience in the classroom working with preschool special education, gifted education, and teaching kindergarten, 2nd, 3rd, and 6th grade regular education. This is Brandie’s 3rd year working on the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. Along with her experience and expertise, her passion for education and training drives her desire to help educational organizations and systems be the best they can be.

Samantha Statler

Early Literacy Specialist

Samantha is the newest member of the team, hailing from Ashland, Kentucky. Although a proud Kentuckian, Samantha has embraced the education system of West Virginia. She has taught in Kanawha County, as well as in Rowan County, Kentucky and the Ashland Independent School System. Samantha developed a strong love for children’s literature during her early teaching career that spanned across four counties and two states. As a professional, she has remained a true student of learning and is always eager to share her passion for literacy. Samantha currently resides in Huntington, West Virginia and devotes her free time to her daughter, Honora.

Sara Hutchinson

State Assistant: WV Campaign for Grade Level Reading

Sara is the State Assistant for the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading as well as English Language Arts coordinator in Early and Elementary Learning Services at the West Virginia Department of Education. Before taking this position in March 2020, Sara gained years of valuable experience working as a first and second-grade teacher and an academic coach in Fayette County. She is passionate about creating meaningful professional development opportunities for educators and is anxious to share powerful conversations that impact literacy development through this podcast.

Blake Turley

Family Support Specialist

Blake Turley is the Family Support Specialist with the June Harless Center at Marshall University. Blake has extensive experience teaching and caring for children from birth to Pre-K and providing professional development and on-site technical assistance to early care and education professionals. She holds a master’s degree in early childhood education from Marshall University. Blake is a certified trainer for the Program for Infant Toddler Care (PITC) through the California Department of Education and WestEd, and she is endorsed by the West Virginia Infant/Toddler Mental Health Association (WVITMHA) as an Infant Family Associate.

Available On

Our podcast content is available on the following platforms:

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