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Maine Teacher Selected for National Teaching Ambassador Fellowship

Teacher from Songo Locks Elementary School Will Bring Classroom Experience to National Education Dialogue

July 11, 2008

Anna Walker, a teacher at Songo Locks Elementary School in Naples, is one of 25 teachers nationally to be selected for a Teaching Ambassador Fellowship. The school is part of MSAD 61.

The US Department of Education issued the following press release yesterday:

U.S. Department of Education Office of Communications & Outreach, Press Office 400 Maryland Ave., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20202

FOR RELEASE: July 10, 2008 CONTACT: Jo Ann Webb, (202) 401-1576

U.S. SECRETARY OF EDUCATION MARGARET SPELLINGS ANNOUNCES SELECTION OF ANNA WALKER FOR TEACHING AMBASSADOR FELLOWSHIP

Teacher from Songo Locks Elementary School Will Bring Classroom Experience to National Education Dialogue

Secretary Spellings today announced that Anna Walker from Songo Locks Elementary School in Naples, Maine, is one of 25 teachers selected for a Teaching Ambassador Fellowship (TAF) position with the U.S. Department of Education. Walker is one of 20 teachers who will be a Classroom Fellow for 2008-2009. Five additional teachers will be Washington Fellows and will work at the U.S. Department of Education's headquarters in Washington, D.C.

More than 1,000 teachers nationwide applied for the fellowships, which offer highly motivated, innovative public school teachers the opportunity to contribute their knowledge and experience to the national dialogue on public education.

"Anna Walker will provide the Department of Education with invaluable classroom experience as she collaborates with federal policymakers on multiple issues impacting America's students. I look forward to their contributions and insights," Secretary Spellings said.

The program for the 2008-2009 fellows kicks off in Washington, D.C., on July 14 with a one-week orientation and policy conference. The events planned include a roundtable discussion with Secretary Spellings, briefings with senior Department officials on timely policy matters and opportunities to share best practices and local educational challenges.

Walker, who has been teaching for the past five years, is a third grade teacher at Songo Locks Elementary. She has served as a Title I teacher, who focused on reading and math support; a reading tutor; and a special education aide. She holds a master's degree in curriculum and instruction with a specialization in literacy from Lesley University.

The five Washington fellows and 20 classroom fellows, who represent 21 states across the country, were selected based upon their record of leadership, impact on student achievement and potential for contribution to the field. Eight of the fellows are high school teachers, 10 are middle school teachers and seven are elementary school teachers. They represent teaching expertise in a range of subject areas:

  • three are general elementary school teachers; six have math expertise;
  • five specialize in reading and language arts; five are science teachers;
  • three educate social studies students; one provides art instruction;
  • one brings knowledge of critical language instruction; and
  • one is a physical education teacher.

Additionally, many have extensive experience teaching special education students, as well as non-native English speakers.

For more information about the program, please visit http://www.ed.gov/programs/teacherfellowship/programoverview.html .

David Connerty-Marin, Director of Communications, Maine Department of Education, 207-624-6880