Kristen Luettchau leads one of three Middle School cohorts. This cohort comprises educators from different teaching settings across the country who are convening as a group to determine what specific resources to create.
Meet the Cohort
Kristen Luettchau has been an educator for the past 15 years, graduating from TCNJ in 2011 with a degree in English secondary education. After serving as an English teacher for the past 14 years, she is now in her second year as a school library media specialist at Morristown High School in NJ. She has also worked as an adjunct professor in the TCNJ English Department and TCNJ Writing Program for the past 11 years. Kristen serves on several committees with the National Council of Teachers of English in which she continues to fight censorship and encourage the freedom to read.
Caitie Barker is an experienced educator with a 16-year career in English and Latin instruction. A lifelong learner, Caitie earned her master’s, doctorate in education, and an instructional leadership certificate while working full-time. She remains active in the educational community, frequently attending and presenting at professional conferences. Currently a middle school English teacher, Caitie has crafted a curriculum grounded in ELA standards that also incorporates competencies for students to become critical citizens of the world. She leads the Middle School Academic Committee, facilitating growth around the ethical use and policy of AI. Beyond instruction, Caitie’s professional interests include curriculum design and professional development. Personally, she is an avid reader who loves diving into the stories of others. By exploring YA fiction and graphic novels to new genres and topics that stretch her perspective, she models an authentic love of reading that she shares regularly with her students.
Samantha Chancellor is a second-year teacher, currently working at Helena Middle School in Central Alabama where she teaches advanced eighth-grade English language arts. She also has experience teaching standard and remedial English language arts to both seventh graders and eighth graders. She earned her Bachelor of Science in English language arts education (6–12) from Troy University in 2024 and is currently pursuing her Master of Arts in English language arts education (6–12) at the University of Alabama. She has been a member of the National Council of Teachers of English since her undergraduate participation in the NCTE Annual Convention in 2023 and 2024 and appreciates the experience, resources, and support the council provides to educators. She has a strong passion for helping students find joy in reading and learning, demonstrating the importance of becoming a lifelong learner.
Rachel Drouin is a 24-year-old English language arts teacher living in South Windsor, CT. She has been teaching in West Hartford, CT, in a 7th-grade classroom for three years. Right now, Drouin is working toward obtaining an MA degree in literacy at the University of St. Joseph in West Hartford, CT. So far, it has been so exciting to grow as an educator and to continue to bring what she learns into the classroom. Outside of teaching, she has a passion for traveling and experiencing new cultures. She has actually been to more countries than US states; her next adventure will be in the Faroe Islands this summer. Additionally, one of Drouin’s favorite parts of traveling is the authentic local food wherever she goes.
Mark Olsen began his career teaching Yu’pik Eskimo students in Eek, Alaska. He moved to California in 2002, serving on the California Association of Teachers of English (CATE) Board and teaching high school English for nineteen years. In 2011, he received the CATE Distinguished Teachers of English Award. Recently, he partnered with NCTE and the Library of Congress to write lesson plans using primary sources. He works with the Smithsonian Institute as a facilitator for the Democracy in Dialogue project commemorating the semiquinncentennial anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Olsen received the Teach America 250 award as Idaho’s representative from the Jack Miller Center. He and his wife will present for iSTEM, an organization providing quality STEM professional development for teachers throughout Idaho. He earned masters’ degrees from Columbia University and California State University Bakersfield. He continues strong after twenty-six years in education knowing the most important work lies ahead!