Keira Scussa (@keirascussa26) | #BowTieTuesday
Introduction: This week’s #BowTieTuesday Educator Spotlight goes to an educator that I met more recently as she joined the #ZebraNation family this school year. Without further adieu, the Edu-Rock Star that I’ll be recognizing this week is none other than Mrs. Keira Scussa (@keirascussa26), the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction at New Brunswick Public Schools.
Educational Pursuit: Ms. Scussa is a seasoned veteran in the world of education with close to two years worth of experience. She holds a bachelor’s degree from St. Joseph’s University and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Delaware Valley University, as well as certificates in Reading Recovery, and Regular and Special Education. Her journey into the world of education is a personal one and I thank her for sharing her story…
Keira’s sister Donna had special needs. She couldn’t walk, talk, or feed herself. Her sister was 7 years older than her (her brother is 10 years older) so she always considered her sister to be her big/little sister because she was like a 3-month-old baby. Her parents were dedicated to Donna’s care and worked tirelessly to raise money for a program for children with needs like her sister. Before this time, “these children” were often cared for in the home by a nurse or institutionalized. She recalls watching the bus pull up outside every morning and watching her wheelchair go up the lift and then disappear into the bus. Keira’s earliest memories were of her and her mom taking daily trips to her sister’s school to volunteer and visit with the other children. Keira would look at books and sing songs with the children in her sister’s class. She wholeheartedly believe’s these experiences shaped her into the person she is. She would watch the teachers and staff cheer joyfully when one of the students was able to pick up a cheerio off their tray and bring it to their mouth for the first time. She would witness parents supporting each other and celebrating achievements together. It was from these experiences where she learned that every child is an individual and deserves to be celebrated. She wanted to be the person to celebrate accomplishments, no matter how small. Keira wanted to listen to parents and set goals WITH them and watch their children achieve. Her sister touched so many lives just by her presence…more than she will ever know.
Who would have ever thought that a life so insignificant would have so much power? Donna made Keira a better person, a more empathetic caregiver, and an educator who sees and expects the best for EVERY child. Donna made her want to be an advocate for all children.
Most Memorable Moment: Having roughly 20 years of experience made it quite difficult for Keira to select her most memorable moment. She recalled her experiences as a Reading Recovery Teacher where she had the opportunity to see her students needs and build on their strengths. One student, Thomas, had psoriatic arthritis which impacted his speech and fine motor skills. He was the lowest reader in the first grade and had difficulty even writing his name. She worked with Thomas, diligently, every day for 20 weeks. She learned to understand his speech and they became a force to be reckoned with! She would send daily reports to his parents and together, they would celebrate his reading growth. When it was time for Thomas to “test out” of Keira’s class, she invited his parents in to see the testing and see the comparative growth. Thomas’s mom had the flu so his father came to her room and sat in one of her first-grade sized chairs. She could tell immediately that he felt uncomfortable but when she shared his son’s progress, tears streamed down his face. She, of course, started to cry too. Before them was this amazing little boy with so much drive and strength and who had accelerated a year and a half in reading, in just 4 months. She still sees Thomas’ mom occasionally and makes it a priority to find out what milestone Thomas is currently in pursuit of. He made her love education even more.
Personal Learning Interests: Keira secretly admitted to me that she’s a little bit of a nerd…shocker! 🙂 Currently, she is engrossed in books about school culture and cultivating a community of learners to positively impact students. She also admitted that since she is fairly new to her position in New Brunswick, she is learning every day. She values the insight and opinion of every person she comes across which develops her abilities as an educator and learner every day.
The Fun Stuff
Keira’s go-to Karaoke Song: Ms. Scussa’s go-to Karaoke Song can be heard over the whir of her cardio workouts on the treadmill! Her song of choice is Hall of Fame by the Script.
Keira’s Inside Scoop: She may have been on a Nickelodeon game show when she was in middle school. Bow-Tie Joe is still scouring the corners of the internet to find evidence of this rare phenomenon.
Thank you, Keira, for your heartfelt efforts to improve education each and every day you step foot inside a classroom. I truly do appreciate all the support you offer to both myself and my colleagues in initiatives to improve the culture and create successful school experiences for teachers! Oh, and the positive impact that you have had on my PLN! I truly appreciate all that you do to keep moving education forward.
Thanks for reading and sharing!
Bow-Tie Joe
