Lower School Educators Conference

Suzanne Billips is the Learning Support Coordinator for students in Grades K-4 at Greensboro Day School in Greensboro, NC.  She is the current Department Chair and has been at GDS for 16 years.  While there she has taught students in Bitty Bengals (age 3) -5th grade and has previously taught in public elementary and middle schools. Additionally, Suzanne has served as co-facilitator of the North Carolina Association of Independent Schools Virtual Roundtables for the past four years.  She has co-led the SAIS Academic Support Roundtables as well as presented at conferences for both NCAIS and SAIS. 

Suzanne graduated from Wingate University with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and UNC-Charlotte with a Master’s in Reading Education.  She holds numerous certifications in serving students with diagnosed learning differences and was the recipient of the Carla D. Dowler Tradition of Caring Award and the Alumni Extra Yard Award at  GDS.

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Kate Newman is a committed educator passionate about social justice education and arts integration. Originally hailing from New York City, she came to Durham when receiving her Bachelor’s at Duke and later received a Master of Education in Special Education from UNC Chapel Hill. Kate has taught for over 10 years at independent schools in Durham, NC, and spent a year teaching at a public school in Hwacheon, South Korea on a Fulbright Grant. Kate has always been interested in the arts and worked for over 10 years as a Gallery Guide at the Nasher Museum of Art on Duke’s campus. Kate created and led tours for adults and children, created and led family programming, taught mindfulness classes in the museum, and more. Kate loves bringing her experiences in the galleries into the classroom to engage students and build critical thinking skills. She is a current 1st and 2nd grade teacher at Carolina Friends School. 

Joann York has been an educator for over thirty years, including time as an educational consultant for classroom management and balanced literacy instruction. Her area of subject matter expertise lies with pedagogy, effective instruction, and critical curricula. She has facilitated literacy workshops and demonstration classrooms in support of teacher growth. Joann is a lifelong learner who passionately loves her students and time spent reading, gardening, cooking, or helping someone in need. Joann has taught in Texas, Brooklyn, NY, and currently teaches 5th grade at Trinity Episcopal School in Charlotte.

Emily Hayes is one of the kindergarten teachers at The Lerner School and K-2 Division Lead. She has been at Lerner for 9 years and looks forward to many more! She received her Bachelor's in Business Administration from SUNY Buffalo and her Master’s in Education and Inclusion from the University of Rochester and has worked in classrooms with a variety of physical abilities and neurodiversity. She grew up in upstate New York and misses it, especially during apple picking season. Emily fell in love with teaching handwriting and has created her own company, Clap Into Kindergarten® to support young learners during the onset of virtual learning during COVID. If you see Emily around Lerner, she's probably singing to a line of students or questioning where she left her phone. 

Alison Provan is dedicated to bridging elementary literacy research to practice through her work with teachers and students. She attended Greensboro Day School K-12, holds a BA in Developmental Psychology from Duke University, and a MEd in Reading Education from Vanderbilt University. She has been a first grade teacher and a reading specialist in Chicago IL, Ithaca NY, and Fairfax County, VA. She currently serves as the Lower School Literacy Specialist at Durham Academy, where she is an instructional coach and supports teachers in teaching phonics, reading, and writing. She is a self-proclaimed “word nerd,” who enjoys reading and listening to podcasts about children’s literacy development.

Gabrielle Clark is a forward-thinking educator, who loves exploring new ways to engage her students. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Michigan and also holds a Master of Education in Classroom Technology from Bowling Green State University. Currently, she teaches third grade at Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, North Carolina. In addition to her teaching role, Gabrielle is a member of both the Innovation Task Force and the Admissions Committee at Ravenscroft. She is dedicated to integrating technology thoughtfully to address the diverse needs of her students, with a focus on differentiated instruction to ensure all learners excel. With a passion for high engagement and data-driven instruction, Gabrielle adapts her approach to create an inclusive and dynamic classroom to help every student reach their full potential.

Dr. Yolanda J. McClure is a dedicated educational leader passionate about cultivating teachers and leaders through intentional professional learning and development. A native of Durham, North Carolina, she earned her doctorate in education from Northeastern University in 2022, specializing in Teaching, Leadership, and Learning, and holds a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

As the Director of Teaching and Learning at Forsyth Country Day School, Dr. McClure empowers educators through coaching, professional learning, and mentorship. She emphasizes the use of the learning environment as a "third teacher," fostering spaces that inspire creativity, engagement, and academic success. Her leadership includes guiding curriculum developing programs that foster a purposeful and cohesive faculty experience.

Leveraging a career that spans over 15 years, she is an experienced presenter, recently leading sessions such as "Text, Context, and Connections: Unraveling Scarborough's Reading Rope through Literacy and Social Studies Integration" and professional development on learning environments as a catalyst for student-centered learning.

Dr. McClure resides in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with her husband, Sean, and their two sons, McKinley and Harrison.

Dr. Michelle Klosterman is a dedicated educator who believes in the power of student-centered learning. As the Associate Head of School for Teaching and Learning at Forsyth Country Day School, she oversees a wide range of programs that support student growth, including curriculum development, faculty training, library services, college counseling, and special education. With 25 years of experience in education, Dr. Klosterman has a proven ability to create engaging learning environments that inspire curiosity and foster critical thinking. Her strong academic background in curriculum, special education, and biomedical engineering allows her to bring innovative approaches to the classroom and empower students to reach their full potential.

With more than 15 years of professional experience and architectural degrees from Princeton University and the University of Virginia, Lauren is a practicing architect, educator, and nonprofit founder/board chair.  She is a big picture thinker with an eye for detail, and a design thinking evangelist.  Passionate about the power of design to build community via thoughtful engagement, respectful reuse, and responsiveness to natural systems, Lauren strives toward a practice that celebrates the latent value in people and places.

Originally from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Michelle earned a bachelor's degree in Family and Consumer Science with a minor in Interior Design from Utah State University. She later obtained a second bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Western Governors University.

Michelle spent over three years teaching at Cook Literacy Model School, where she was recognized as Teacher of the Year in 2022. She then joined Forsyth Country Day School, where she was honored as Teacher of the Year in 2024.

Shannon Kincaid is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with more than 10 years of experience supporting families and children. Shannon has experience in interdisciplinary team patient management, outpatient therapy, and has been the Preschool/Lower School Counselor at Greensboro Day School since 2021. Shannon enjoys working 1:1, in small groups, and with family systems to support the needs of students.

Laura is the Assistant Head of School at High Point Friends School, where she is committed to fostering innovative and student-centered learning. Currently pursuing a PhD in Educational Leadership at the University of South Florida, Laura is exploring the impact of AI on equity in education. Laura is passionate about the role of technology in education, and believes that embracing and integrating technology in the classroom is essential for preparing students for the future. She also believes that technology, especially AI based-technology, is an amazing tool that teachers should explore to make their lives easier!

Anna Hall, M.Ed., FIT/OGA, CALT-I-CALP/ALTA

After 20 years of teaching in the classroom, Anna Hall moved into leading Professional Development and Curriculum for Key School at Carolina Day School in Asheville, NC. She is a Fellow-in-Training for the Orton-Gillingham Academy (OGA) as well as an Instructor of Teaching for the Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA). She has a master’s degree from King’s College in Reading, Multisensory Structured Language Education, and holds a North Carolina teaching certificate for K-12 in Reading. She also works as a Clinical Supervisor for Key Learning Center. Anna is a lifelong learner and professional in dyslexia education and is dedicated to helping educators learn best teaching practices as well as supporting students in building a strong foundation of literacy skills.

Diane Milner is the founder and current principal of the Key School, a division for bright children with dyslexia, at Carolina Day in Asheville, NC. In addition, Diane is the supervising OGA Fellow for the Key Learning Center (KLC) in Asheville, NC. The KLC serves as an outreach for teacher training and community support in the area of dyslexia education and is credentialed with the Orton-Gillingham Academy (OGA), the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC), and IDA. Diane was a former public school educator, administrator, university adjunct professor, and an independent school principal for 28 years. Her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees are in special education. Her doctorate degree is in educational leadership. She has presented at many dyslexia and independent school conferences and has been focusing on the neuroscience behind teaching and learning for over 28 years.