Kelly Maxson

I started in a middle school classroom in 1995 and never really left. I just kept expanding. Thirty years later, I've taught science, math, language arts, social studies, computers, PE, and exceptional children across public, private, and charter schools. I've been a classroom teacher, assistant principal, school director, curriculum specialist, and, most recently, Dean of Student Experience at a virtual school. 30 years. 14 state teaching licenses. National Board Certification in Adolescent Science. Two master's degrees — one in Curriculum & Instruction, one in Educational Administration. But what drives everything I create here is one simple belief: good curriculum should be rigorous and doable — for teachers and for students. You'll find resources built by someone who has lived every side of the classroom and knows what it actually takes to make learning work.

My classroom has always been structured, high-expectation, and student-centered, which means the resources I create reflect all three. I design curriculum that challenges students to think critically and independently, with clear scaffolding so the rigor is accessible and the expectations are never a mystery. I believe confusion, not motivation, is the primary barrier to learning. So everything I build is intentional: objectives are visible, tasks are purposeful, and assessments actually reflect what was taught. Whether it's a worksheet, a lab, or a full unit, the goal is always the same. Students should know what they're doing, why it matters, and how they'll know they've succeeded. The values underneath all of it haven't changed in 30 years. Every student is an individual worth knowing, accountability builds self-esteem, families matter, and small wins deserve to be celebrated. I design for real classrooms: diverse, complex, and full of students who are capable of more than we sometimes expect.

My favorite professional achievement does not fit on a resume. My oldest daughter is now a high school science teacher who teaches the same classes I once did. That is the kind of legacy that matters most to me. Over the course of my career, I have been nominated for Teacher of the Year 16 times, earned National Board Certification in Early Adolescent Science in 2011, and was selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who in 2023. I am an active member of the National Science Teaching Association and the National Federation of State High School Associations. I have also been awarded multiple grants, including the Granville Education Foundation's Success Through Technology Grant, the Lela Eaton Creative Teaching Grant, an Experience Grant, and two DonorsChoose grants fully covered by Lockheed Martin, one of which sent an entire 7th-grade class to Charlotte Motor Speedway for a STEM field trip. Outside the classroom, I have coached varsity softball and basketball for years, and I take that work just as seriously as my teaching. I hold Certified Interscholastic Coach credentials and NFHS Coach Level 3 Credentials in both sports, recognitions earned by fewer than 9,000 high school coaches nationwide.

I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Middle School Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1995, my Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Scranton in 2008, and my Master of Education in Educational Administration from Grand Canyon University in 2012.

I grew up in New York and have called North Carolina home since high school, retired from classroom teaching after 30 years, and now serve students through Subject Virtual School. When I am not working, I am traveling or planning my next trip to Co. Kerry, Ireland, where I spend my summers. I am also a lifelong Disney and Star Wars adult, which my students have always found either very cool or deeply embarrassing, depending on the year.