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Barbara Pedersen President
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As Founder and Director of C.L.A.S.S., Barbara Pedersen is an educational leader, classroom educator and motivating force for thousands of educators across the country. Her enthusiasm for teaching, perseverance in improving education, and drive to serve others is overtly expressed through her delivery. Barbara realized early in her professional career the importance of providing meaningful curriculum, experiences and opportunities to allow students to reach far beyond their potential. Over the last 20 years, she has manifested her beliefs and practices into a comprehensive curriculum model called C.L.A.S.S., Connecting Learning Assures Successful Students. As an expert in brain-based learning, Barbara strives to help educators discover themselves as professionals and establish the power of teaching through the C.L.A.S.S. Model. As a recipient of several awards including the Christa McAuliffe Fellowship and author of educational resources, Barbara continues her mission of serving the educational community to better the lives of our future generations.
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Jim McMillan Vice President Curriculum & Instruction
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As a classroom educator, Jim has taught across primary and intermediate grades including special education using the C.L.A.S.S. Model with tremendous success. His enthusiasm, storytelling and positive delivery has made him a “highly-in-demand” C.L.A.S.S. presenter across the United States. Jim is an alumnus of Indiana University East with extensive training in literacy education. He enjoys being a husband to his wife Amy and a father to his two daughters. Jim spends many hours on the sidelines of the softball field as a dad and a fan. When there is extra time, he loves to read, write, and express himself through art.
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Jeff Pedersen, PhD Vice President Operations
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Jeff Pedersen has served thousands of students and educators in the areas of classroom management and character development. Jeff earned his B.A. at Indiana University, M.Ed. and Ph.D. at University of Louisville. He has authored and co-authored several CDs, tapes and videos on character and curriculum development for classroom application and continues his work in helping educators, students and the educational community achieve success through the C.L.A.S.S. philosophy. Jeff’s research and scholarship interests include the exploration of instructional design and development. Jeff lives in the Indianapolis area with his wife, Valerie, and their two daughters.
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Ruby is a native of Indianapolis and has spent over the last 10 years dedicated to improving the lives of young people through education. She believes that educators have the power to inspire and change lives on a daily basis. Ruby states, “It is my sincere desire to use my influence, creative talents and gifts to positively impact a school’s culture... to produce effective change... to make a difference in the community… to change lives!” Ruby is an alumnus of Indiana University. In her spare time, she enjoys being with her two sons and actively participating in her church.
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Shelley Deutscher Lead Coach
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Shelley Deutscher is a M.S. graduate from Purdue University and a resident of Michigan City, Indiana where she has taught Kindergarten, first and second grades for the Michigan Area School System since 1974. Shelley has always been committed to providing students an educational experience that is meaningful and rich based upon the biology of learning. Shelley became a member of the C.L.A.S.S. organization in 2002 and is serving educators throughout Indiana as a coach for the Literacy for Life C.L.A.S.S. Model.
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Inga Randle began her educational journey as an assistant in the reading resource room in the Western Boone School Corporation. Later graduating from Indiana University, she began teaching first grade at Perry Worth Elementary followed by fifth grade at Central Elementary in the Lebanon Community Schools. While teaching across the hall from Barbara Pedersen, Inga witnessed the power of brain compatible teaching as students were engaged, eager and empowered. She began honing her skills and eventually began coaching and training educators in brain-based techniques. Inga has been with C.L.A.S.S. since its inception in 1990. She lives on a farm south of Lebanon, Indiana with her husband, Dave, their oldest son, Jon, his wife Tiffany and their children. Their daughter April lives in Lizton with her two sons, Brad and Cory. Inga’s youngest son, Marshall, is a freshman at Indiana University.
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Shirley Franck Lead Coach
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Shirley Franck had always wanted to be a teacher since the age of ten. After earning her B.S. from Indiana University and M.S. from Ball State University, Shirley began her teaching career in 1969 in a little country school grades 1-8 where she taught fourth grade students and 7th and 8th grade physical education when necessary. Later, she transferred to East Elementary, a brand new school in Jay County where she developed her skills and knowledge on open concept classrooms, cooperative learning, team teaching, and integrated curriculum. Through these experiences, Shirley became interested in preparing other teachers for the many changes in education. In 1990, she left the classroom to become a C.L.A.S.S. staff member and has served thousands of educators in coaching and training services since this time.
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Carl Harvey Media Specialist
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Carl A. Harvey II serves as the school librarian at North Elementary School in Noblesville, Indiana. As a graduate from Ball State University and Indiana University, Carl has been active in both state and national professional organizations presenting at a variety of conferences and serving in a variety of leadership roles. Carl is a published author in various professional library journals and three professional books for school library professionals and has been awarded Outstanding New Library Media Specialist (1999), Outstanding Media Specialist (2007) and the Peggy L. Pfeiffer Service Award (2007) from AIME. The library media program at North Elementary School has also been recognized with the Blue Ribbon for Exemplary School Media Programs in Indiana (2005) and the National School Library Media Program of the Year Award (2007). In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his nieces and nephews.
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