Megan Thompson, Ed.S

Director Literacy at the Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning. Champion for students and the noble title of teacher. Opinions are my own.

[CELL at the University of Indianapolis @CELLuindy]

📚 During Read Across America Week, we’re celebrating 3 educators honored as 2026 Science of Reading Champions by The Reading League Indiana: Morgan Schaust-Indiana Literacy Cadre, Lisa LaFavors-North Grove Elementary & Jackie Ridge-Sullivan Elementary, Cadre school. Congrats!

[CELL at the University of Indianapolis @CELLuindy]

📚 It’s Read Across America Week! 📚

At CELL, we're celebrating the Indiana educators, librarians, and school leaders making reading a priority every day. Thank you for helping students discover the power of great stories—both in the pages of a book and in their own lives. 📖✨

[Danny Steele @SteeleThoughts]

When I was a high school principal, I interviewed a teacher named Jake Huggins. He seemed like a good candidate—friendly, experienced, and thoughtful. I believed he could be a solid addition to our faculty. But any lingering doubt disappeared when he answered one particular question. It has always been my favorite.

I asked him, “Jake, in every school in America, you can place teachers on a continuum. On one end are those who don’t seem to want to be there. They’re always complaining. Their colleagues wonder why they haven’t retired yet. They drain the energy of the building. But on the other end are teachers who are excited to come to work. They love their students. They value their colleagues. They lift the spirits of everyone around them. When graduates come back, these are the teachers they want to see.

So Jake… what’s the difference between these two teachers? What is the X factor? Because that’s what we’re looking for.”

Most teachers answer that question by talking about passion. Or purpose. Or the desire to make a difference rather than just earn a paycheck. Those are good answers. But Jake said something different—something I’ve never forgotten.

He said, “I think almost every teacher starts out idealistic. They love kids. They want to change the world. But after a few years, you hit a wall. You realize how hard this job really is. There are endless papers to grade. Some students make it incredibly challenging to teach. And parents aren’t always supportive.

Some teachers never move past that reality check. They burn out. But others do. They keep their sense of purpose in spite of the challenges. The work is hard, but they remain convinced it matters. Some students are difficult, but they know those students need someone who refuses to give up on them. They face adversity, but they don’t let it steal their passion. Those are the teachers who make a difference year after year.”

We hired Jake.

A few years later he was named the school’s Teacher of the Year.

So today, I salute Jake—and every educator who has faced that “reality check” and chosen to keep going. The ones who remember their whyon the hard days. The ones who refuse to let frustration turn into cynicism. The ones who continue to believe, even when the work is exhausting.

Because those are the teachers who change lives.
And they do it… year after year.

Cheers,

Danny

[CELL at the University of Indianapolis @CELLuindy]

🧠Join CELL’s Stacy Knoop and Emily Hoppel at the Teach Indy Educators Conference on March 7 for Teaching the Brain, Not Just the Lesson. Explore research, challenge common assumptions, and strengthen your practice. Great for all grade levels. Register: https://t.co/T9PeTz1H0Y

[CELL at the University of Indianapolis @CELLuindy]

Join CELL on Dec. 2 for a free webinar on evidence-based instructional moves that have the greatest impact on adolescent #literacy, featuring international literacy expert @DFISHERSDSU.

Register now: https://t.co/FZZgBYyCPb

#EdChat

[CELL at the University of Indianapolis @CELLuindy]

Join CELL for a free webinar on how top-performing nations teach #math and what Indiana can learn about designing math programs.

Register today: https://t.co/25BlGaqiGY

[CELL at the University of Indianapolis @CELLuindy]

Congratulations to former @CELLuindy Executive Director Dr. Janet Boyle on being named as the @IAPSS_ORG 2025 Distinguished Service Award Honoree!

Janet’s leadership and commitment have left a lasting impact on Indiana schools. Congrats on this well-deserved honor! #CELLteam

[CELL at the University of Indianapolis @CELLuindy]

October is #NationalPrincipalsMonth! 🎉 We’re celebrating principals across Indiana for the impact they make every day on schools, staff, and students. Thank you for your leadership! #ThankAPrincipal @INPrincipals @NAESP @NASSP @AFSAUnion

[CELL at the University of Indianapolis @CELLuindy]

Nearly 200 school leaders and instructional coaches convened for Day 1 of Student-Centered Coaching: The Workshop hosted by @CELLuindy and @KeepINLearning in partnership with Diane Sweeney Consulting! @uindy #SCCoaching

[CELL at the University of Indianapolis @CELLuindy]

CELL is partnering with schools to reinvent high school - and it’s paying big dividends for teachers and students! WTHI-TV shares the impact of Lincoln High School’s Indiana Pathways to Careers and Postsecondary (P-CAP) program: https://t.co/FZZX5maLX1 @EducateIN

[CELL at the University of Indianapolis @CELLuindy]

Results from the 2024-2025 IREAD assessment show an unprecedented increase in third grade literacy rates, with a significant jump in #INLitCadre schools. Learn more about the impact of the #INLitCadre in IDOE’s release: https://t.co/MmG8W9g3hq #EarlyLiteracy

[Megan Thompson, Ed.S @MeganCThompson]

Put your Greyhound spirit into action. Let's support UIndy students on UIndy Day: April 10, 2025! #UIndyDay https://t.co/wVebaMHRmY

[Megan Thompson, Ed.S @MeganCThompson]

Join us and learn from expert, @JuliaBLindsey!

[CELL at the University of Indianapolis @CELLuindy]

You don't want to miss our next #literacy webinar on January 14! Dr. @JuliaBLindsey will dive into selecting texts for reading comprehension, vocabulary building, print concepts, decoding, fluency, and more. View events and register: https://t.co/0S0mwFZWwd

[Megan Thompson, Ed.S @MeganCThompson]

PSA- latest research is suggesting “the more digital exposure in the first year, the less language development”-Wolf

[CELL at the University of Indianapolis @CELLuindy]

During National Principals Month, we’re giving a shout-out to principals we work with through the #INLitCadre, #EarlyCollege, #PCAP, #RECN, and #UCAN initiatives. Thank you for your partnership and commitment to opening doors for students!

[CELL at the University of Indianapolis @CELLuindy]

Proposals are now being accepted for the 2025 Indiana Early College Summit on June 4! Learn more and submit a proposal: https://t.co/oBZKS6pWH7

[Melissa Stewart @mstewartscience]

50 Bedtime Books for Curious Kids https://t.co/vY8pE07ykM
@SteamTeamBooks
@SSEdLib
@randomhousekids
@RHCBEducators
@HolidayHouseBks
@charlesbridge
@ClarionBooks
@Scholastic
@ChronicleBooks
@NGKidsBks
@LernerBooks
@astrapublishing

[Megan Thompson, Ed.S @MeganCThompson]

@ScottFadness @FishersIN Not surprised. Officer Dewald is a gift to HSE schools!

[Megan Thompson, Ed.S @MeganCThompson]

Thank you @UIndySOE and @CELLuindy for supporting and encouraging professional development for faculty and staff. Looking forward to hearing from experts at #DyslexiaCon2024

[CELL at the University of Indianapolis @CELLuindy]

We’re excited to kick off CELL Cohort 3 of the #INLitCadre! Today is the first day of foundational training focused on the science of reading. Welcome, Cadre Coaches and TSSs! @EducateIN