Rachele Stoops

Background

About Rachele Stoops

Eight years ago I was delivering pizza for a living. It's a worthy profession, but it wasn't enough to support my three children, or to satisfy my desire to take a big step. In 2014, I started the Initial Certification at the Graduate Level program at Doane University, and after a memorable year and a half, was hired to teach English at Bryan Community Focus Program, the alternate high school in Lincoln, Nebraska. Bryan serves students who, for a variety of reasons, have been unsuccessful in the traditional high schools. In my first year, I served as English department chair and started a theatre class that performed a one act play. After the first year, I added the final few courses I needed to complete my MA in curriculum & instruction at Doane. In 2018, I realized that I wanted to expand my circle of influence. I was especially interested in training teachers to work in alternate settings. To that end, I began Doane's EdD program that fall. I doubled up on my coursework, finishing classes in July of 2020, and began research for my dissertation in August. My dissertation, a qualitative study, focused on high school English teachers including LGBTQ themed literature in their curriculum, I continued teaching full time, teaching an evening class for a new program through LPS, and supervising a student teacher, while writing and revising my dissertation. I successfully defended my dissertation in April 2021, and graduated in May. When the evening class program was expanded to a full day program for the 2021 - 22 academic year, I was asked to transfer to that school to teach English and supervise independent study and e-learning classes for students working to graduate high school. I love helping to determine the practices of Graduation Pathways, working with students, and creating new independent study curriculum. In the future, I'd love to teach preservice teachers, help create programs with diverse and trauma-informed curriculum, or consult with school districts who are interested in adding alternate settings. I have the experience and the education to enhance any educational program!