Teacher Leadership
Joan “JV” Bippus and Melinda Harrison Jones
Melinda Harrison Jones is in her 14th year of teaching high school English, and Joan “JV” Bippus is in her 18 th year of teaching elementary. Both currently work at the Indiana School for the Deaf and are recognized as teacher leaders in their respective departments.
Amy Hatzel
Amy Hatzel has worked alongside Deaf community for 29 years. She began her interpreting career with the CIA in Washington, D.C. Upon relocating back to Kentucky, she began her career in public education. She maintains interpreter certification and continues to freelance while working as itinerant TDHH in Carter County.
Kimberly Kause
Kimberly Kause entered the Deaf Education field nearly 20 years ago after receiving her B.A. in Elementary Education from Gallaudet University. Since, she has obtained a M.A. in Deaf Education, an Education Specialist degree in Educational Administration, and PK-12th grade Principal and Superintendent Licensure. Currently, Ms. Kause is the Director of Instruction at the Indiana School for the Deaf.
Katie Telek
Katie graduated in May 2017 with her bachelor’s degree in deaf and hard of hearing education. She is currently pursuing her master’s in interdisciplinary early childhood education with plans to graduate in May of 2020. Katie currently teaches oral preschool and Kindergarten at Heuser Hearing and Language Academy.
Leslie Thompson
Leslie graduated in May 2017 with her bachelor’s degree in deaf and hard of hearing education. She is pursuing her masters in English as a second language. She currently teaches a self-contained oral primary unit at Brandeis elementary.
Melinda Harrison Jones is in her 14th year of teaching high school English, and Joan “JV” Bippus is in her 18 th year of teaching elementary. Both currently work at the Indiana School for the Deaf and are recognized as teacher leaders in their respective departments.
Amy Hatzel
Amy Hatzel has worked alongside Deaf community for 29 years. She began her interpreting career with the CIA in Washington, D.C. Upon relocating back to Kentucky, she began her career in public education. She maintains interpreter certification and continues to freelance while working as itinerant TDHH in Carter County.
Kimberly Kause
Kimberly Kause entered the Deaf Education field nearly 20 years ago after receiving her B.A. in Elementary Education from Gallaudet University. Since, she has obtained a M.A. in Deaf Education, an Education Specialist degree in Educational Administration, and PK-12th grade Principal and Superintendent Licensure. Currently, Ms. Kause is the Director of Instruction at the Indiana School for the Deaf.
Katie Telek
Katie graduated in May 2017 with her bachelor’s degree in deaf and hard of hearing education. She is currently pursuing her master’s in interdisciplinary early childhood education with plans to graduate in May of 2020. Katie currently teaches oral preschool and Kindergarten at Heuser Hearing and Language Academy.
Leslie Thompson
Leslie graduated in May 2017 with her bachelor’s degree in deaf and hard of hearing education. She is pursuing her masters in English as a second language. She currently teaches a self-contained oral primary unit at Brandeis elementary.
Effective Collaboration
V. Lynn Small Dunn
Having been in the educational field for over thirty years, I have worn many hats from classroom teacher, language
specialist, curriculum coordinator, counselor, and outreach provider in the area of English and literacy in relation to STEM education. I have taught Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing students from the kindergarten level through college level specializing developing English, writing and reading. In my latest role as STEM Outreach Coordinator, I have been involved in workshops/trainings involving the Universal Design for Learning, the Outdoor Classroom, NSTA workshops related to including STEM across the curriculum; as well as, presenting on the regional and national levels on teaching English/Writing Skills to the Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing, Act Prep, incorporating STEM/NGSS across all subject areas.
Beth Kimball
Beth Kimball, MS/HS STEM teacher at Indiana School for the Deaf. Beth has taught everything fun, from middle school engineering (trash to treasure) to college level environmental science. She holds degrees in biology, Deaf Education, chemistry, and experiential education, and is a computer science facilitator at a national level through Code.org.
Talila A. Lewis
Talila A. Lewis is a community lawyer, educator and organizer whose advocacy primarily focuses on providing support to multiply-marginalized deaf and disabled people affected by mass incarceration. Lewis co-founded & serves as the volunteer director of HEARD, a volunteer-dependent nonprofit organization that works correct
and prevent deaf wrongful convictions and end violence against deaf and disabled people.
Scotty Zwicker
Mr. Scotty Zwicker has been the middle and high school art teacher at the Indiana School for the Deaf for 23 years. Scotty is a member of the National Art Education Association, served as a board member for the Very Special Art of Indiana, and several art organizations. Scotty is an active member of the De’VIA Art Movement organization and is part of the Deaf Art Curriculum committee.
Having been in the educational field for over thirty years, I have worn many hats from classroom teacher, language
specialist, curriculum coordinator, counselor, and outreach provider in the area of English and literacy in relation to STEM education. I have taught Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing students from the kindergarten level through college level specializing developing English, writing and reading. In my latest role as STEM Outreach Coordinator, I have been involved in workshops/trainings involving the Universal Design for Learning, the Outdoor Classroom, NSTA workshops related to including STEM across the curriculum; as well as, presenting on the regional and national levels on teaching English/Writing Skills to the Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing, Act Prep, incorporating STEM/NGSS across all subject areas.
Beth Kimball
Beth Kimball, MS/HS STEM teacher at Indiana School for the Deaf. Beth has taught everything fun, from middle school engineering (trash to treasure) to college level environmental science. She holds degrees in biology, Deaf Education, chemistry, and experiential education, and is a computer science facilitator at a national level through Code.org.
Talila A. Lewis
Talila A. Lewis is a community lawyer, educator and organizer whose advocacy primarily focuses on providing support to multiply-marginalized deaf and disabled people affected by mass incarceration. Lewis co-founded & serves as the volunteer director of HEARD, a volunteer-dependent nonprofit organization that works correct
and prevent deaf wrongful convictions and end violence against deaf and disabled people.
Scotty Zwicker
Mr. Scotty Zwicker has been the middle and high school art teacher at the Indiana School for the Deaf for 23 years. Scotty is a member of the National Art Education Association, served as a board member for the Very Special Art of Indiana, and several art organizations. Scotty is an active member of the De’VIA Art Movement organization and is part of the Deaf Art Curriculum committee.
Instructional Strategies
Emily Lomax
Emily Lomax graduated from Eastern Kentucky University in 1997 with degrees in Deaf Education (K-12)/Elementary Education (K-6). She graduated from Smith College in 2001 with a Masters degree in Deaf Education. She holds her NBCT in Deaf Education. She works for Jefferson County Public Schools, in Louisville, KY, as an itinerant TDHH.
Lisa Parker Skjeveland
Lisa Parker Skjeveland is an elementary Literacy Specialist at Indiana School for the Deaf. She has taught Bilingual Language Arts using Balanced Literacy framework for 5 years. She has been working in the school system for 13 years—5 years as a school social worker and 8 years as a classroom teacher.
Sara Stallard
Sara Stallard serves as education resources coordinator at the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center, where she manages Info to Go, an online clearinghouse of resources, and provides support to various programs across the nation.
Rita Troxell
Rita Troxell has taught Deaf Plus elementary students for the past 13 years at Kentucky School for the Deaf. She is constantly researching different ways to help her students gain access to help them learn and develop self determination skills. She is certified in Moderate to Severe Disabilities from University of Kentucky. While at Eastern Kentucky University, I became certified in Integrated Early Childhood Education (0-5) as well as Secondary Education. She has a Bachelor’s of Art in English from Gallaudet University.
Emily Lomax graduated from Eastern Kentucky University in 1997 with degrees in Deaf Education (K-12)/Elementary Education (K-6). She graduated from Smith College in 2001 with a Masters degree in Deaf Education. She holds her NBCT in Deaf Education. She works for Jefferson County Public Schools, in Louisville, KY, as an itinerant TDHH.
Lisa Parker Skjeveland
Lisa Parker Skjeveland is an elementary Literacy Specialist at Indiana School for the Deaf. She has taught Bilingual Language Arts using Balanced Literacy framework for 5 years. She has been working in the school system for 13 years—5 years as a school social worker and 8 years as a classroom teacher.
Sara Stallard
Sara Stallard serves as education resources coordinator at the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center, where she manages Info to Go, an online clearinghouse of resources, and provides support to various programs across the nation.
Rita Troxell
Rita Troxell has taught Deaf Plus elementary students for the past 13 years at Kentucky School for the Deaf. She is constantly researching different ways to help her students gain access to help them learn and develop self determination skills. She is certified in Moderate to Severe Disabilities from University of Kentucky. While at Eastern Kentucky University, I became certified in Integrated Early Childhood Education (0-5) as well as Secondary Education. She has a Bachelor’s of Art in English from Gallaudet University.
