What is your go-to coffee order? I keep it really simple! Light roast coffee with a splash of half and half.
What do you do in the mornings to prepare to go to a school? Make coffee and pack breakfast, lunch, and snacks. I love to listen to a podcast on my drive in.
What is your favorite part of interaction with teachers in your partner schools? I love hearing about how things are going and problem-solving together. I also love analyzing assessment data and turning data into action plans for kids!
What is your favorite children’s book series and why? Currently The Questioneers. My older son wants to hear a title from this series read aloud every night before bed! I think I could recite Iggy Peck, Architect from memory at this point.
What’s your favorite sticky-note color? Not a specific color, but I lean heavily towards the Post-It Capetown collection!
Favorite office supply/ classroom gadget? Too many to choose! I currently love my label maker, but getting a document camera was life-changing for me in the classroom. I also loved having a paper trimmer and laminator at home when I was in the classroom--I used to laminate and cut out things while watching TV.
What do you do when you’re not staff developing? Read, exercise, and hang out with my family!
What’s your favorite pen? Sharpie S Gel 0.7, unless I'm writing on Post-It's. Flair pens only for Post-It's.
How do you stay organized? Google Workspace. It pains me as somebody who loves paper and pens and stickers, but getting my life on Drive and Calendar has made such a huge difference!
What’s the state of your desk? (organized, messy, etc.) Pretty organized. I like to take the last few minutes of the day to clean it off.
If you were to decorate a classroom, what would it look like? It would be minimalist and Montessori-inspired. There would be natural, muted colors, plants, student work, and teacher-made materials everywhere. It'd be the anti-TPT classroom!
What are you learning right now? I'm learning lots about knowledge and file management, and it's been so fun for my organizational brain. I'm also reading Big Words for Young Readers, which is about multisyllabic words, one of my favorite topics!
What does professional development mean to you? My favorite days as a teacher were PD days. I loved getting to step back and think about practice and then apply my new learning in the classroom.
If you could go back in time and join a varsity team in high school, which would it be and why? I was in the band and orchestra and on the debate team in high school, and I'd join them again!
What is your favorite thing about Lucy Calkins? Her work ethic.
What is your dream summer break vacation? Backpacking through Europe.
What makes a “good day” at a school? When I end meetings on time so the teachers can relieve their subs on time.
If you could pass on any wisdom to students, what would you share? Work hard. Be kind. Read lots.
Casey Maxwell’s dedication and innovative K-2 strategies have made a significant impact on our team and the students we serve. We are grateful for her contributions and look forward to seeing her continued success. To learn more about our other dedicated members of our team, visit our Team Page.