Marta Soto-Johnson, Maloney High School, Meriden Public Schools

Marta is a dedicated mathematics educator with a decade of experience teaching secondary school students across a wide range of courses, including Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, Calculus, Statistics, AP Statistics, and Principles of Engineering. From 2020 to 2025, Marta taught Math 7 and Pre-Algebra in Meriden Public Schools, where she was recognized with the 2025 AP Scholar Award. This year, Marta has moved back to teaching Algebra 1 at Maloney High School. Marta’s academic background is as diverse as her teaching: she holds a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering, an M.S. in Management of Technology, and an M.B.A., reflecting her strong foundation in both technical and applied problem-solving. Fluent in English and Spanish, she brings accessibility and inclusivity to her classrooms, ensuring students of different backgrounds can thrive. Her commitment to instructional innovation is evident in her professional presentations, including two poster sessions at the Alliance District Symposium in 2025 on the use of manipulatives to deepen understanding (2022–2023) and on embedding geometry standards intentionally within the Grade 7 math curriculum (2024–2025). Beyond her classroom, Marta serves her community as a board member for the Meriden, Berlin, and New Britain YMCAs.   

Becks Olthoff, Engineering and Science University Magnet School, New Haven Public Schools

Becks Olthoff is an accomplished mathematics educator with 17 years of experience teaching grades 6–12, from Pre-Algebra through AP Calculus BC. He currently teaches at the Engineering and Science University Magnet School (ESUMS) in New Haven, where he has been since 2020. Becks holds a master’s in mathematics for teaching from Harvard University and began his career teaching at an international school in the Dominican Republic (2011–2017), where he ultimately became the lead math teacher. A Yale Teaching Fellow and mentor teacher (2025- present), Becks has also participated in the Yale Partner Teachers Program (2022 – 2025). Fluent in conversational Spanish and a guitar player and teacher, Becks is deeply committed to creating safe, collaborative, and confidence-building learning environments where students can thrive. These commitments are reflected in his many leadership roles and constant innovation of his practice.  

Becks has adopted the Building Thinking Classroom model extensively and has adjusted assessment processes in his classroom to help students understand their own engagement, the non-math skills they are developing (e.g., collaboration, communication), with documented impact on achievement and students’ identity. Dedicated to inclusion and equity, he has written curriculum, presented district-wide professional development on Building Thinking Classrooms, developed lessons for multilingual learners and co-presented at major mathematics education conferences such as ATOMIC and ATMNE in 2024. Beyond the classroom, he has served as a TEAM Mentor for other math teachers, junior class advisor, SAT prep instructor, Lunch Bunch advisor, and middle and high school soccer and basketball coach. This fall, Becks was honored with the 2025 Yale Educator Award after being nominated by a former student who joined Yale’s class of 2029. 

Carson Dunn, University High School of Science and Engineering, Hartford Public Schools

Carson teaches algebra and statistics at University High School of Science and Engineering in Hartford. Carson began his teaching journey with Teach for America (2018–2020) at his current high school, where he laid the foundation for his commitment to educational equity and student success. By 2021, he expanded his impact beyond the classroom, serving as head girls’ varsity volleyball coach at the University High School of Science and Engineering. In 2024, Carson stepped into leadership as Mathematics Department Chair, while also mentoring graduate students through the UConn Neag Internship Program, supervising their work 10–20 hours per week.  

Carson has taken a lead role in supporting other teachers in Hartford in learning about and implementing a Building Thinking Classrooms lesson model in their classrooms. Early efforts included leading a Building Thinking Classrooms (BTC) book study with his colleagues and presenting district-wide professional development sessions. Carson focused on designing and facilitating sessions for thirteen Algebra 1 instructors to support their professional application of BTC practices. He documented this work and showcased it at the Alliance District Symposium, presenting his Individual Learning Project on facilitating a teacher-led cohort of Algebra 1 educators as a model of how districts can support year-long impactful professional learning as teachers work to change their practice. Across his roles as teacher, mentor, coach, and leader, Carson has consistently worked to foster equitable, collaborative, and student-centered learning environments. 

 

 

Courtney Sobanski (Thompson) and Jen Roggi (Vernon) represented our Noyce Math Teacher Leaders at the 2025 Noyce Summit! This annual gathering brings together Noyce Fellows, Scholars, and Project Leads from programs across the country to exchange ideas, share innovative teaching practices, and highlight the work happening in classrooms and communities. 

Courtney and Jennifer presented posters highlighting their Year 3 Independent Leadership Project. Courtney’s project was Professional Development, BTC Coaching, and Peer Observation. Jen’s project was Grade What You Value and Value What you Grade. Along with Megan Staples, they also presented a workshop on Advancing Fellows’ Math Teacher Leadership Skills.  

Congratulations to Courtney and Jen on their incredible work and continued contributions to math education! 

On May 17th, 2025, the Fellows met for their Spring Workshop went really well! Fellows brought great energy and thoughtfulness to the session. We also wrapped up the year with a joyful teacher field day! It was a fun and much-needed moment to reconnect, celebrate each other, and reflect on all we’ve accomplished together. Grateful for this community and everything we’ve built this year.

Jen Roggi is the 2024-25 Vernon Center Middle School Teacher of the Year at Vernon Center Middle School! Congratulations Jen!!

Kari Baransky, Edison Middle School, Meriden Public Schools

Kari teaches middle school mathematics at Edison Middle School in Meriden. She has been a teacher for 25 years, all at Meriden Public Schools. In addition to teaching mathematics, Kari serves as the Subject Area Specialist for math at her school. She is also the Secretary and Treasurer for the MFT Union as well as the Team Leader for grade 8 Team Empower. Prior to becoming a teacher, Kari worked in the Guildford Police Department and Yale Police Department. She transitioned into teaching because of her passion for education and because teaching was more conducive to raising her two small children at the time. Kari has also run restaurants and gas stations and worked as a nanny in Utah. Kari loves acquiring new skills, experiences, and knowledge. She loves to learn and tries to inspire this passion in her students, as well. Her hobbies include gardening, cooking, and riding her Harley Davidson Softail Custom to school!

Over the years, Kari has participated in regional and national conferences, sharing knowledge on topics including Building Thinking Classrooms, Fund for Teachers, and Classroom Management. Most recently, Kari presented at the MidSchoolMath national conference in Santa Fe. There, she shared her strategies for and experiences in incorporating Building Thinking Classrooms into her instruction. Additionally, she has facilitated multiple professional development (PD) sessions in her district. In fall 2024, her PD included a team model for supporting teachers in Meriden Public Schools on having a successful school year. Kari has also had the opportunity to train teachers in the use of the Common Core Standards in Mathematics at both the elementary and middle school levels.

This year, Kari’s Independent Leadership Project (ILP) centered on supporting families in feeling more comfortable with mathematics. Kari says, “There are so many families that feel that they are not math people, and that transfers to our students. Everyone is a math person. Family support is the key to having students be successful in school.” As part of the project, Kari spearheaded an initiative to hold the first Edison Middle School family night focused on mathematics at her school. The Math Family Night received enthusiastic support from the school administration as well as engagement of colleagues from other subject areas. She worked with them and students to create 8 stations each addressing important math and science topics. Kari thoughtfully prepared multiple prizes and raffle baskets that were relevant to math and appealing to the community. Additionally, food donations sponsored by local businesses were also obtained to draw in families. A total of 40 families participated in the family night, 11 colleagues and staff members volunteered to support the event, with the principal, vice principals and teachers running some of the stations. The success of the event was evident in the school’s interest in establishing Family Math Night as an annual event.

 

Jessica Jané, Putnam High School, Putnam Public Schools

Jessica (Jess) teaches Algebra 1, Geometry, Manufacturing Math, and Consumer Math at Putnam High School. She has been in the field of education since 2011, where she began her career as a paraprofessional and long-term substitute. During that time, she decided to go back to school to become a licensed math teacher. In 2015, Jess began working as a licensed math teacher with a classroom of her own for the first time. This was in Killingly, where she taught 7th grade for six years and 8th grade for one year. In addition to teaching math, Jess also served as the Math IC for grades 5-8 and was a Team Mentor.

Three years ago, Jess made the jump to Putnam High School, where she holds leadership roles on the District Math Committee and is a co-advisor on the Student Council. At Putnam High School, Jess (along with Fellow, Courtney!) have begun implementing College Preparatory Mathematics (CPM) last year with Algebra 1 and Pre-Calculus, focusing on shifting towards a more collaborative, problem-based approach to math instruction. This year, they expanded the rollout to include Geometry and Algebra 2. A major focus has been helping students adjust to the emphasis on group work, critical thinking, and multiple solution strategies, while also ensuring teachers feel confident using CPM’s resources effectively. Jess believes her cross-district collaboration with Courtney has been helpful in this process to work together in building a support system for their teachers in effectively implementing CPM. They have shared lesson strategies, and developed best practices for integrating CPM’s problem-solving approach. She believes collaboration is so important, especially in rural districts where resources can be limited.

Last year, Jess presented at the annual meeting of the Vermont Council of Teachers of Mathematics (VCTM). Reflecting on her experience presenting there, Jess shares, “Presenting at the conference last year was an experience that pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best way possible. This might be surprising, but I am not the biggest fan of public speaking, ever since high school I was told I was “bad” at it, but taking on the challenge of sharing my experiences with other teachers helped me grow both personally and professionally. I realized that the audience wasn’t there to judge—they were there to learn and engage in meaningful discussions. The best part was connecting with other educators who shared similar challenges and how our conversations sparked new ideas and inspired others.”

Jess also recently presented at the 2025 Teacher Conference in San Diego, California. She presented on Cross-District Collaboration and PLC Building in Small Rural Communities with Courtney. Jess believes, “Small districts face unique challenges, but they also offer opportunities for meaningful collaboration.” In the session, Jess and Courtney shared about how they cultivated a strong professional learning community (PLC) across districts and provided strategies to help others do the same. Their presentation included practical resources, tips, and tools for implementing PLCs and peer observation programs, with the goal of demonstrating how structured collaboration can enhance teaching practices. They also shared about their own successes using these strategies and how cross-district collaboration has strengthened peer-to-peer support in their district. Jess shares, “Presenting at the conference was a valuable experience that allowed me to step outside my comfort zone and connect with other educators passionate about improving professional growth in small districts.”

Jess’ ILP focuses on the Youth Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative (YMPI), a program designed to connect students with opportunities in the manufacturing industry. Her goal is to raise awareness about these opportunities and help students recognize how the math skills they learn in school directly apply to real-world careers. This project is important to her because she wants to help students see a variety of pathways to success, not just traditional four-year college degrees. As a math teacher, Jess says she sees firsthand how often students question the relevance of what they are learning. By connecting math to real-world applications in manufacturing (such as precision measurements, geometric design, and data analysis), Jess believes she can help students understand the value of math.

 

Kwastina Jackson, Beman Middle School, Middletown Public Schools 

Kwastina teaches Algebra 1 and Geometry Enrichment to eighth graders at Beman Middle School in Middletown. She has been teaching for 15 years. Kwastina’s first 10 years of teaching were in Alabama, and the most recent 5 years have been here in Connecticut. In addition to her role as a mathematics teacher, Kwastina also has two leadership roles at Beman Middle School. She is a TEAM Mentor and a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (

DEIB) coach. Kwastina enjoys being a mentor to new teachers to support their enjoyment of and growth in the profession. As a DEIB coach, she enjoys both supporting the learning of her colleagues and learning from/with them. Kwastina says, “What I love the most about being a DEIB Coach is being a thought partner with my colleagues and helping them find new ways to support and connect to others. It is so enriching to make connections with other humans based on the things that make us different.” 

This past Fall, Kwastina attended the 2024 annual meeting of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) conference in Chicago, Illinois. She expressed that the conference affirmed and reinvigorated her commitment to teaching mathematics for equity. Kwastina says, “It was the perfect gentle reminder of all the subcultures that exist within our school buildings and a call to action to ensure that they are not ignored.” In February 2025, Kwastina also attended the AMTEC Conference on Equity in Mathematics. It was her first time presenting outside her district since being in Connecticut. She loved getting to present to preservice teachers and share equitable strategies they can implement in their future classrooms. 

Kwastina’s Independent Leadership Project (ILP) this school year is about promoting equity in math classrooms, which she does through leading conversations with other teachers about what equity means and how it can be implemented in practice. As an equity coach and math teacher, she wants to provide teachers with equitable strategies specifically for math classrooms. Kwastina’s previous ILP led to positive impacts in her district this school year. As a result of collecting data from eighth grade students who were enrolled in both 8th-grade math and Algebra 1 simultaneously, and presenting this data to the superintendent and other mathematics curriculum leaders, this led to the restructuring of how Algebra 1 was offered so that students did not have to take two classes simultaneously and miss out on electives such as STEM, Art, and Health. 

A fun fact about Kwastina is that she loves crafting and digital design! She enjoys it as a hobby so much that she even turned it into a small business, which can be found on Instagram and Facebook @AidensKloset.

At the Alliance District Symposium, our Noyce Math Teacher Leader Fellows proudly presented their posters, showcasing their research. Each poster reflected a unique inquiry into math teaching and leadership, and they were presented to each district that brought classroom teachers, curriculum leaders, coaches, principals, and superintendents. These presentations sparked meaningful conversations, affirmed the fellows’ growth, and highlighted the powerful work happening in our classrooms and schools.