District 9 Team Member Spotlight

Vanessa Ramirez, ELA Implementation Specialist

Vanessa Ramirez has been a NYCPS educator for the past 18 years. Before becoming a teacher, she worked in the non-profit sector as a caseworker in various homeless shelters. This occupation allowed her to have a first-hand awareness of the importance of education and thus she decided to pivot her career path. Vanessa started her second career as a Teaching Fellow. Her first-year teaching in District 9 reminded her of her own school experiences. Landing in New York as a Kindergartener, she did not have a grasp of the English language. Upon becoming a teacher, she taught ENL classes in her early years. Once becoming a Grade Lead, she began to support other teachers in her school in curriculum development and pedagogy. Her roles have included Pre-K through 5th Literacy Coach, AIS Specialist, and Professional Learning Developer. She continued to coach under ULIT Cohort 1 and Literacy Collaborative. She has also supported teachers outside her school in building capacity as a facilitator in the Teacher Leadership Program.

Vanessa enjoys learning and sharing it with others. She looks forward to collaborating with colleagues in District 9 as Phase 2 ELA implementation begins.