A fifth-grade teacher at Rebecca Boone Elementary School is a star. Shelby Bailey recently received national recognition from Discovery Education for her commitment to harnessing digital learning to inspire students’ curiosity and prepare them for future careers. Bailey was one of only 125 teachers in the United States and Canada to be honored as a STAR Discovery Educator. She also received an invitation to participate in Discovery’s Summer Institute at the University of Vermont-Burlington this summer. In July, Bailey will travel to the Discovery Educator Network Summer Institute for a weeklong residential-style professional development and networking opportunity. “I’m so excited to be going, and already have been in contact with a lot of the other participants online,” said Bailey, who noted that one other attendee is from St. Louis. “I feel like everything has led me to this adventure,” she added. “I’m thrilled for Shelby, and proud of our district to have someone from Rebecca Boone achieve this honor,” said Dr. Jill Schowe, Rebecca Boone Elementary principal. STAR Discovery Educators are active members of the Discovery Educator Network (DEN), a global community of educators who are passionate about teaching with digital media and technology and sharing ideas and resources. Program organizers said that as a STAR Discovery Educator, Bailey “has proven herself as a leader in transforming and enhancing learning in Warren County R-III classrooms." “Discovery Education and the DEN are proud to honor the hard work and dedication of Shelby,” said Lance Rougeux, vice president of learning communities and instructional implementation for Discovery Education. “It is the work of passionate and committed educators like her who are engaging students through the use of digital media and technology that is making a difference across the country.”

21st Century Teaching Tools Bailey, who currently is in her sixth year of teaching at Rebecca Boone, said she is both honored and excited about the STAR Discovery designation. She incorporates the online Discovery Education materials into her regular classroom assignments, bringing lessons to life through videos and other digital tools offered online. Bailey said students currently learning about electricity and earth science, for example, are able to download videos and see science information presented in a more interesting way. “This is the way kids born into a digital world learn, and ultimately how we as educators will help them prepare for jobs when they’re older,” said Bailey. She noted that in the fifth grade, students take their first MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) test in science, so she is encouraged that with these enhanced learning tools, students will show a higher level of achievement than if these resources were not used. Discovery Education is an online media extension of the Discovery learning and entertainment brand that is home to the Discovery Channel, “Animal Planet” and SCIENCE. Discovery Education partners with schools around the world to transform teaching and learning with innovative content to support educators and accelerate academic achievement. The program fuels educational transformation with award-winning multimedia content including digital textbooks, professional development, assessment tools, and the largest professional learning community of its kind. As a STAR Discovery Educator, Bailey will share resources and innovative teaching methods with fellow educators across the district, state and world to improve student engagement and achievement. She already regularly shares her technology acumen with other teachers in her building.

Shelby Bailey, center, assists Skylar Cuesta, right, as Hannah Johnson answers a question during an exercise utilizing laptop computers and the Edmodo course management system.