Michele Long’s new role as instructional coach at Kathryn Winn Primary brings her career full circle while allowing her to return to the age group that has always held a special place in her heart.
Long began her career with Carroll County Schools in 1997 at Head Start. After three years, she transferred to Kathryn Winn when a kindergarten position opened following the retirement of teacher Claudia Way. She spent the next four years teaching kindergarten at Winn.
Nearly three decades later, Long is back at the school where her Carroll County career began, this time helping teachers and students from a different role.
“It’s a full circle moment for me because this was where I started,” Long said.
Kathryn Winn Principal Danielle Hamilton said she is excited for Long to join their team. “Her knowledge, experience, and passion for teaching and learning make her a true asset to our school. She has a huge heart for supporting teachers and helping them grow, while always keeping student well-being central to the work,” she said.
Long noted her decision to return to Kathryn Winn was driven in large part by her passion for early childhood education. Her master’s degree is in the field, and she believes the experiences children have during their earliest years of school help establish the foundation for future success.
“I loved being at Cartmell, but when the opportunity came to be back here with the little kids, I couldn’t pass it up,” Long said. “Early literacy and those first five years are really so important. That’s where my heart is. I wanted to be with the littles.”
As instructional coach, Long wants to help teachers provide students with a strong academic foundation while also recognizing the importance of developing the whole child.
“The whole child is still so important here,” she said. “It’s about doing the early childhood things we know are best practice and growing the whole child in all those areas so when they leave here, they can be successful at Cartmell.”
Early literacy will be a major focus of her work. Long wants students to have plenty of opportunities to read, write and work with words as they develop skills that will support them throughout their education.
“Literacy is going to take them the rest of the way,” she said. “If they have a really strong literacy foundation, they’ll be successful.”
Her experience has prepared her to approach those challenges from both a teacher’s and an instructional coach’s perspective.
After leaving Carroll County Schools to travel with her husband’s job and raise their children, Long eventually returned to education. During that time, she and Lisa Nab helped establish the First Baptist Church Preschool.
When she returned to Carroll County Schools, Long taught first and second grade before moving to Cartmell Elementary. She spent three years teaching second grade and then became an instructional coach in 2020.
Her years at Cartmell gave her valuable experience working with teachers on instruction, curriculum and student learning. Her new position allows her to bring that experience back to an early childhood setting.
Returning to Winn also means reconnecting with teachers she has known throughout her career, including some she taught earlier in their own careers. She enjoys seeing families she remembers from her classroom years return to the school as parents.
Those connections, along with her own experiences as a classroom teacher, give Long a unique perspective as she begins her new role. She remembers what it felt like to teach kindergarten for the first time and understands the importance of having someone there to provide guidance and encouragement.
“I remember what it was like when I was first starting out,” she said. “I remember teaching kindergarten for the first time and what you need to set them up for success.”
Now, Long hopes to use those experiences to help teachers feel confident in their work and ensure students have the support they need from their first days of school.
“I want them to be supported,” she said.