While many educators prefer the relative comfort of suburban schools, Marielle Emet’s drive to teach in a diverse urban environment led her to become a founding faculty member at Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy (BVP) in Lincoln. As academic dean and a fifth-grade math teacher at the public charter school, Emet is instrumental in closing achievement gaps among various demographic groups and raising success levels for all.
Emet was a Teach for America (TFA) 2006 Baltimore corps member and continued to teach history-related subjects at her placement high school for four years, before moving to Rhode Island. At Blackstone Valley Prep, she switched her subject focus to middle school math.
With her curriculum aligned to Common Core standards, Emet utilizes differentiated instruction to engage all learners. She created the Academy’s Response to Intervention strategy to deal positively and proactively with the highest need students. She connects with parents and meets with students after school and on weekends—whatever it takes to propel “scholars” forward. And the results are testament to her effectiveness: According to the New England Common Assessment Program scores, BVP had Rhode Island’s highest growth rates in math with 92% of students demonstrating growth. From 2010 to 2012, math gains in grades 5 to 7 were a remarkable 44 points.
Extending her impact beyond the classroom through her role as academic dean, Emet assists both new and seasoned colleagues to continually evaluate and increase their classroom effectiveness. She reviews lesson plans weekly with early career teachers and leads professional development at BVP, even hosting faculty meetings at her home. She visits other schools to continually expand her repertoire of best practices and, in return, shares her own professional development expertise at district and state levels. Thanks to her professional leadership and dedication to every student, educator Marielle Emet helps set colleagues and young people alike on a path to 21st century success.
