Brenda Shultz
I began my career in 1976 as a very young and naive teacher, scared to death that I might fail. Over the years I have learned a lot about the teaching profession. I have learned that I must maintain my belief in life-long learning by accepting new challenges and opportunities for learning how I can be better at what I do. I have learned that I must be a team player because two heads are always better than one. I have learned that I must always focus on the fact that children and their learning is the real reason I am here, and that belief must remain at the center of every decision I make. I have learned that integrity and kindness are critical and must be core values.
Because of my love of learning, I have earned several degrees, all from the University of Georgia. I have a Masters in Reading, a Specialist in Educational Leadership, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. My dissertation on teachers’ perspectives of high-stakes testing led to a published chapter in a book titled Real World Supervision – Adapting Theory to Practice, edited by S. Zepeda.
I have taught all grades K-6 as well as several college courses. I have a passion for teaching reading and, therefore, my most rewarding responsibility was teaching first grade. I also enjoy working with students, and adults, who struggle with learning to read.
As a new administrator, 13 years ago, I joined and attended my first GACIS conference. I haven’t missed a conference since! As a member of GACIS, I have served as a district director, secretary, parliamentarian, and president-elect. I also served as treasurer for GAEL.
My leadership background includes my role as Assistant Director of Reading for the Department of Education, supporting the Reading First initiative. I also worked as a curriculum administrator Rockdale County Schools. I currently serve as Director of Academic Support for Forsyth County Schools.