For Kimberly Reddick, a 10th-grade MLL teacher now in her third year at E.L. Haynes, education has always been about more than curriculum — it’s about people. From the age of ten, she was rounding up cousins at family cookouts and leading them to the park, naturally stepping into a role of care and leadership. That instinct never left her.
“I just think I can identify with kids,” she says. “I know what makes them tick. I know how school can be boring — but I believe learning should be fun.”
A journey of persistence
Kimberly’s path to Haynes wasn’t without hurdles. She applied twice before landing the role. But that determination tells you everything about her commitment to this community. She had watched the school from across the street — she used to live just a block away — and the joy she saw there kept pulling her back. When she learned that a former colleague whose educational philosophy she deeply respected had joined the school’s leadership team, she knew she had to try again. The second time, she got the job.
A team, not a solo act
One of the biggest draws for Kimberly was Haynes’ collaborative MLL model. Having worked in schools where she was the only MLL specialist, she found the idea of joining a full department of like-minded professionals a genuine selling point. “I knew that this school has a whole team of ML people — not just me. And so that was exciting for me.”
She has since transitioned from teaching MLL history and biology into the English department, deepening her focus on core literacy for English learners.
Growing beyond the classroom
At Haynes, Kimberly’s expertise has been recognized nationally. Through connections made at the school, she began collaborating with WIDA — the organization that creates the standards and assessments used for English learners nationwide. She was flown to Minnesota to help develop test questions for the WIDA assessment, and she’s continued taking on projects that expand her professional reach and supplement her income over the summer. “I’m doing things for WIDA that I only found out about through E.L. Haynes,” she says.
Leadership accessibility has also made a difference. “Leaders are very accessible. We have their cell phone numbers. We use GChat, and they respond almost instantly. You feel like people have your back here.”
It’s “all love” in the classroom
Ask Kimberly what makes a teacher effective, and she won’t talk about lesson plans first. She’ll talk about relationships. She credits relationship-building as the reason she got the job in the first place — during her demo lesson, a student was on his phone, and rather than escalating, she told the interview panel honestly: “I don’t have a relationship with that student yet. That takes time.”
That philosophy plays out every day. She builds rapport with parents so students know she and their mom are “cool like that.” She creates a classroom culture where it’s safe not to know the answer. She makes students laugh. And she shows up the same way every single day — so students walking through her door know exactly what they’re getting.
“When I walk into the classroom, it’s all love. They’re not afraid to ask for help. Even if something went wrong yesterday, today is a fresh day. A new start.”
The bonds she builds extend well beyond her own classroom. Students she’s never taught stop by to tell her they’re having a good day. Former students now in 11th and 12th grade still come to visit. Walking the hallways, she stops every five steps for a hug, a high five, or a fist bump.
What’s next: STEAM and beyond
As Haynes moves toward a STEAM model, Kimberly is energized. She sees it as an opportunity to reach students who have already mentally checked out of any post-secondary plans. “A lot of my high school students just want to get out and be done with school,” she says. “But I feel like introducing them to STEAM is going to make them see — oh, this is something I actually like. I can pursue this and be happy with a job in the future.”