Katherine Avery brings an enthusiasm for early learning and a dedication to improving urban public education for all children as she returns for a third year to serve the DCPS Master Educator program.

Ms. Avery began her teaching career at the Latin American Montessori Bilingual (LAMB) Public Charter School as a Primary English Teacher. Additionally, she led the English Curriculum development team and worked afterschool to provide a Spanish theatre program to elementary students. It was during this time that Ms. Avery cultivated her passion for meaningful and on-going professional development.

Prior to joining DCPS, Ms. Avery served as a founding member and co-director of a local public charter school where she secured a grant from the New Schools Venture Fund to ensure that professional development and additional enrichment opportunities would be available in the school’s early years. In her role as Director of Student & Family Services, Ms. Avery designed positive behavior intervention plans, provided oversight to the English Language Learner (ELL) program, and coordinated staff trainings with groups such as Teaching for Change, the Student Support Center, and Brain Gym International.

Since joining the Master Educator program, Ms. Avery has advocated for increased support for language learners in our early childhood classrooms, facilitated team sessions around race and equity in education, contributed to a variety of critical friends’ groups and workshops, and provided individual teacher support through the program’s coaching initiatives.

Ms. Avery holds a bachelor’s degree from The George Washington University and is trained in a variety of innovative educational practices including Montessori (Primary: ages three to six), Redirecting Children’s Behavior, Brain Gym, the SIOP model, and anti-bias curriculum and multi-cultural education.