Officers/Executive Board Members
President - Dr. Stacy Garcia
Vice President - Dr. Dorothy H. Idris
After 37 years, Dr. Dorothy Idris retired from the Philadelphia School District in 2010 as a multidisciplinary teacher of art, reading, language arts, and Japanese for beginners. Her tenure with the district included eight years teaching oral English and writing in high schools in Saitama, Japan as a recipient of a fellowship from the PA State Department of Education in 1995. In 2012, she returned to teaching English Language Learners (ELL) at the Laboratory Charter School of Communication and Languages and worked part-time as a language arts instructor in the Upward Bound Program for high school seniors for Gwynedd Mercy University. Most recently, she retired for a second time to pursue her passion as an independent education and writing consultant for individuals pursuing advanced degrees and requiring ELL services, and to continue to investigate and develop instructional strategies leading to solutions for reading problems of young non-native speakers of English via interventions focusing on advancing students’ vocabulary acquisition. Dr. Idris’ mission is to provide a variety of differentiated learning strategies that encourage learners to describe words orally and in writing using adjectives combined with pictures, graphic organizers, illustrations, and objects.
After 37 years, Dr. Dorothy Idris retired from the Philadelphia School District in 2010 as a multidisciplinary teacher of art, reading, language arts, and Japanese for beginners. Her tenure with the district included eight years teaching oral English and writing in high schools in Saitama, Japan as a recipient of a fellowship from the PA State Department of Education in 1995. In 2012, she returned to teaching English Language Learners (ELL) at the Laboratory Charter School of Communication and Languages and worked part-time as a language arts instructor in the Upward Bound Program for high school seniors for Gwynedd Mercy University. Most recently, she retired for a second time to pursue her passion as an independent education and writing consultant for individuals pursuing advanced degrees and requiring ELL services, and to continue to investigate and develop instructional strategies leading to solutions for reading problems of young non-native speakers of English via interventions focusing on advancing students’ vocabulary acquisition. Dr. Idris’ mission is to provide a variety of differentiated learning strategies that encourage learners to describe words orally and in writing using adjectives combined with pictures, graphic organizers, illustrations, and objects.
Secretary - Dr. Jane Moore
Dr. Jane Moore has spent 38 years working as a classroom teacher, Reading Recovery teacher, Title 1 teacher, Literacy Coach and Assistant Principal. Along the way, she started teaching graduate classes for Texas A&M-Commerce and the University of Texas-Arlington and as an independent consultant. Recently retired from public schools, she works as a trainer for Istation and continues to coach and teach.
Dr. Jane Moore has spent 38 years working as a classroom teacher, Reading Recovery teacher, Title 1 teacher, Literacy Coach and Assistant Principal. Along the way, she started teaching graduate classes for Texas A&M-Commerce and the University of Texas-Arlington and as an independent consultant. Recently retired from public schools, she works as a trainer for Istation and continues to coach and teach.
Journal Editor and Treasurer -
Dr. Michelle Fazio-Brunson
Dr. Michelle Fazio Brunson serves as the Director of Graduate Programs in Early Childhood Education at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. She currently holds the Melba Steeg Endowed Professorship at NSU and focuses her work on helping young children living in poverty. Partnering with her husband, the Chief Public Defender for Natchitoches Parish, she engages her undergraduate and graduate Early Childhood Education candidates in experiential learning and service learning projects to remap the Cradle to Prison Pipeline to the Cradle to College Pipeline in Louisiana. Her research interests include the Language Experience Approach, the Project Approach, and Reggio Emilia schools.
Dr. Michelle Fazio-Brunson
Dr. Michelle Fazio Brunson serves as the Director of Graduate Programs in Early Childhood Education at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. She currently holds the Melba Steeg Endowed Professorship at NSU and focuses her work on helping young children living in poverty. Partnering with her husband, the Chief Public Defender for Natchitoches Parish, she engages her undergraduate and graduate Early Childhood Education candidates in experiential learning and service learning projects to remap the Cradle to Prison Pipeline to the Cradle to College Pipeline in Louisiana. Her research interests include the Language Experience Approach, the Project Approach, and Reggio Emilia schools.
Newsletter Editor - Dr. Debra Jo Hailey
Dr. Hailey taught in early childhood classrooms in Texas and Louisiana for over 20 years before joining the faculty of Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. Her research interests include:
She has developed partnerships in different communities to organize grassroots family literacy festivals, receiving along the way awards and grants to continue the work. She received the “Friend of Children” award, the Phi Kappa Phi Literacy Grant, the Jane Herrin Mini-Grant, and funding from other groups such as the Louisiana Early Childhood Association to support and expand the family literacy events.
Dr. Hailey presents at professional conferences and publishes her peer-reviewed articles in various education journals.
Dr. Hailey taught in early childhood classrooms in Texas and Louisiana for over 20 years before joining the faculty of Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. Her research interests include:
- integrated curriculum especially as it relates to math and literacy;
- parent education;
- leadership development, and
- methods in early childhood teacher development
She has developed partnerships in different communities to organize grassroots family literacy festivals, receiving along the way awards and grants to continue the work. She received the “Friend of Children” award, the Phi Kappa Phi Literacy Grant, the Jane Herrin Mini-Grant, and funding from other groups such as the Louisiana Early Childhood Association to support and expand the family literacy events.
Dr. Hailey presents at professional conferences and publishes her peer-reviewed articles in various education journals.
Webmaster - Dr. Leslie Haas
Dr. Haas' teaching experiences include working with K-12, undergraduate, and graduate students. Additional experiences include instructional coaching, professional development, curriculum design, and department administration. Opportunities in highly diverse settings have acted as both a catalyst and foundation for her focus on integrating and connecting literacy across disciplines through culturally and linguistically responsive instructional practices. With a focus on technology-based literacy opportunities through engagement with popular culture, she often explores the worlds of gaming and fanfiction. She has been honored for her work in research, teaching, and technology through Buena Vista University, Fierce Education, The Texas A&M University System, and The Dallas Catholic Foundation.
Dr. Haas' teaching experiences include working with K-12, undergraduate, and graduate students. Additional experiences include instructional coaching, professional development, curriculum design, and department administration. Opportunities in highly diverse settings have acted as both a catalyst and foundation for her focus on integrating and connecting literacy across disciplines through culturally and linguistically responsive instructional practices. With a focus on technology-based literacy opportunities through engagement with popular culture, she often explores the worlds of gaming and fanfiction. She has been honored for her work in research, teaching, and technology through Buena Vista University, Fierce Education, The Texas A&M University System, and The Dallas Catholic Foundation.