Two Florida teachers – Karen Osborn of Florosa Elementary School in Mary Esther, and Nicolette Barone of Oak Park Elementary School in Tampa – were named to the 2025 Class of Extraordinary Educators, receiving national recognition for pioneering innovative classroom strategies while driving high expectations and student achievement.
Curriculum Associates has named Karen Osborn of Florosa Elementary School in Mary Esther and Nicolette Barone of Oak Park Elementary School in Tampa to its 2025 class of Extraordinary Educators, an annual program that celebrates and connects teachers from across the country who go above and beyond for their students in Grades K–8. Selected from hundreds of nominations, Osborn and Barone are part of a select group of 29 educators who exhibit best-in-class use of i-Ready, i-Ready Classroom Mathematics, and/or Ready®. Osborne and Barone have also promoted growth and achievement through interim assessments, pioneered innovative engagement strategies, and raised the expectations and achievement of their students.
“My goal in the classroom has been to empower each of my students to use their voices to create the most collaborative and encouraging experience possible,” said Karen Osborn. “Giving my students multiple entry points for participation has accommodated all the various learning styles in my classroom.”
“Students are all on different levels,” said Nicolette Barone. “To help them feel successful and see their own growth, I focus on differentiating instruction and activities based on their individual needs. i-Ready supports this by giving me the tools to personalize learning for each student.”…