Newark Digital Academy teacher earns statewide honor through Ohio University

NEWARK - Flexibility has always been a big part of Laura Moore's life. That, and passion.

Put that together with her knowledge, and it's a winning combination for the Newark Digital Academy English teacher. One that obviously impressed Ohio University's Scripps College of Communication, which selected her for the second Communication Fellows program. She's one of 10 teachers chosen statewide, five from rural Appalachian districts and five from urban districts.

"In my 11 years as a high school English teacher, I have had the opportunity to teach in rural, suburban and urban school districts," said Moore, an Ohio University graduate who taught for three years at Nelsonville-York and five at Canal Winchester before coming to Newark Digital Academy. "These diverse experiences have enabled me to learn a great deal from students, teachers and staff members," she said.

Teaching at Newark Digital Academy, which is now a part of Newark City Schools, has provided her with yet another different experience. It is a Dropout Recovery and Prevention school. About 37 percent of the students are seniors, including many 19-21 year-olds who dropped out of traditional school but later returned to earn a diploma. Some are teen parents, some have full-time jobs, and others suffer from physical or mental illnesses requiring regular medical care and hospital stays.

Students primarily do their school work online at home, but the campus is open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday for tutoring and testing.

"I was looking for a more flexible job after I had my daughter," said Moore, who has been at Newark Digital Academy since 2015. "Here, I am able to be one-on-one or with a small group, and tutor as well. I get to know them a lot better, and they get the attention that they need. This unique school has opened my eyes to a new way of looking at education, and presenting learning opportunities to non-traditional students."

Communication Fellows attend a half-week summer residential experience at Ohio University's main Athens campus. They receive free tuition for a graduate-level online course, a $1,500 stipend and a $1,000 classroom stipend. They work not only with each other, but college faculty members and leaders to follow through on their project proposals. "I'm most excited about working with other teachers who are also passionate about communication education," Moore said.

Moore wants to create an online news and media literacy class with a focus on education policies and issues. "I want them to become education activists," she said. "I'm hoping they walk away knowing about how Ohio government works, and that they do have a voice in it. I want them to know how to express themselves, through words and speech. Ohio education policies: do they agree or disagree with them? How to contact their congressman, or potentially even meeting with them."

The class would give students an opportunity to study the issues that affect them, like graduation requirements, testing, curriculum changes and attendance policies, Moore said. They will analyze and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in newspapers, news programs, podcasts and videos, and learn to identify biased language while being able to distinguish between reliable and unreliable sources. "It's an online curriculum, but I want to have face-to-face meetings once a month," Moore said.

"This proposal took a while for me to do," she acknowledged. "I've always been passionate about the project idea, but just haven't had the time to flush it out. Communication-related information is important, useful and relevant to students' lives, now and in adulthood. I want to help my students become media-literate members of our society."

Moore said the class can be used for years to come, and is easy to share with other teachers in her building, and other Newark City Schools.

John Lutz, coordinator of alternative education for Newark Digital Academy since it opened 11 years ago, said students in the school are fortunate to have Moore. "Laura fully embraces the mission of NDA, and has been creative and inventive in her efforts to stimulate interest in Language Arts, and school in general," he said. "Laura's never give up attitude continues to inspire students and staff."

dweidig@newarkadvocate.com

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Twitter: @noz75