North Carolina educator Shane Henderson is giving back to the community that helped shape him into the teacher leader he is today. A product of the Chatham County community, Henderson teaches fourth grade at Pittsboro Elementary School and has become a beloved teacher over the past decade, rising from bus driver to instructional assistant to classroom educator. He is such a large presence throughout the halls that students celebrate his birthday each year like a national holiday. His growth mindset is evident in the trajectory of his own professional career, and he instills that same vision for success in his students. He recently led his fourth graders to a 16-point increase in reading proficiency, and his class achieved an overall passing rate of 75% on end-of-year assessments.
Henderson’s innovative approaches to learning, goal-oriented strategies and data-driven instruction encourage all students to excel. He meets one-on-one with parents to establish goals for their children and mark educational milestones throughout the school year. An advocate for teacher leadership, he identifies and trains peers who can support younger classrooms.
Henderson extends his influence beyond his own classroom, devoting time to extracurricular activities that mentor students and peers. This grade-level chair organizes a Breakfast for Brainiacs club for fourth grade students, serves as a representative on the School Improvement Team and the behavior team, and led a running club at the school. He even maintains his CDL license to fill in as a bus driver when needed. Broadening his impact, Henderson presented at the National School Boards Association’s Conference for Public Education Leaders, sharing evidence-based strategies that boost reading achievement.
In 2017, Henderson earned a Bachelor of Arts in liberal arts with a concentration in sociology from Southern New Hampshire University.
Press Release: North Carolina Educator Shane Henderson Surprised with Preeminent National Recognition for Teachers: $25,000 Milken Educator Award
