Johnson-Berry: Our school is very interesting in that we have five academies, which are like schools within schools for various disciplines like, for instance, human public service, health and computer science. SmartBrief: Your job title is dean of students and restorative justice facilitator, and you say you’re an equity practitioner. “That’s all helped me really be able to teach whoever’s in front of me,” she says.ĭespite her workload, she doesn’t sound tired at all and comes across with excitement and enthusiasm rather than ego when talking about the school, teachers, students and her accomplishments. She’s worked in rural schools (with farm animals occasionally getting inside the school, she says) and suburban and urban schools with students of pretty much every background and demographic. She’s co-taught special-education classes with students who have been identified as gifted and those with exceptional needs. Johnson-Berry has populated her resume with 23 years of teaching English, reading intervention classes and honors English classes for seventh and ninth through 12th grades. She describes her job at the 1,700-student Kansas high school as a culture and community builder. Natalie Johnson-Berry, a National Board Certified Teacher has bachelor’s and master degrees as well as an education specialist degree and is working on her doctorate in educational leadership. Johnson-Berry (Photo courtesy of The NEA Foundation) This Q&A is edited for length and clarity. SmartBrief connected with Johnson-Berry, the dean of students and restorative justice facilitator at Wyandotte High School to talk about inclusivity, bridging communication divides between teachers and students and navigating cultural norms. Friday, one of them will be selected for the NEA Member Benefits Award for Teaching Excellence. This year’s winners are Stephanie Ballard of South Dakota, Kevin Gallagher of Pennsylvania, Theresa Maughan of New Jersey, Lee Perez of Nebraska and Natalie Johnson-Berry of Kansas.
The NEA Foundation and the Horace Mann Educators Foundation recognize stellar education professionals each year through the Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence.
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