2016 CCLD Professional of the Year Award and
CLD Floyd G. Hudson Outstanding Service Award
Dr. Mary Pittman
Dr. Mary Pittman is the recipient of the 2016 Colorado Professional of the Year Award and the prestigious Floyd G. Hudson Outstanding Service Award. Mary is currently a project director for The New Teacher Project, previously serving as the Math Specialist for Colorado Department of Education and the Director of Mathematics for Boulder Valley School District. In each role, her focus is on supporting teachers to ensure all students not just can, but will learn mathematics. This means looking at all parts of the system (e.g., standards, curriculum, instruction, assessment, interventions, professional development) to ensure we are considering the needs of all of our learners. In each of her current and previous roles she works to bring the fields of mathematics and special education together to: create standards for all students (including extended evidence outcomes); choose curricula materials with appropriate scaffolding and supports (ensuring that the supports build perseverance while maintaining cognitive demand); craft instruction around research based-practices that ensures high quality first-instruction; develop assessments based on the principles of universal design; modify interventions from a re-teach framework to a pre-teach framework thereby supporting students to make the most of first-instruction; and supporting each part of the system with high quality professional development.
“Importantly, Mary always exhibits an infectious enthusiasm for education and educators, embodying the professionalism that is the hallmark of effective leaders. I often find myself invoking Mary’s interactions within workshop or professional development settings as the model for my interactions with teachers and my efforts to convey the true purpose of Colorado’s educational reforms. Her work and affective qualities offer just a glimpse of Mary’s tireless efforts to advocate for teachers and students and to help facilitate deep and meaningful outcomes-based instructional practices.” – Brian Sevier, Associate Dean of School of Education, Metropolitan State University
“In her role as the math content specialist for the Colorado Department of Education, Mary has promoted and supported professional development statewide for math teachers and special educators seeking to develop skill working with students who struggle learning math, including students with math related disabilities. Improvement in math outcomes for students with disabilities requires the involvement of math content specialists, working collaboratively with special educators. Mary has filled this role at the state level to bring high-quality professional development aligned with new standards and the latest research on math instruction. The past several years has seen a significant shift in what it is to do math, and Mary has helped insure that those who work with students who struggle most in math are not left outside this shift.” –Mark Semmler, Special Education Coordinator, Cherry Creek School District
“Mary’s commitment and passion to ensuring access to high quality mathematics instruction for all students is evident in everything she does. From planning professional development opportunities for teachers to researching tools that would provide additional support for students, Mary is a constant support for both general and special education teachers.” Kim Bane, former coworker for Boulder Valley School District.
The Council for Learning Disabilities is honored to recognize Dr. Mary Pittman as the 2016 Professional of the Year and the recipient of the Floyd G. Hudson Outstanding Service Award.