Atlantis Charter School

Lorie Crockett

Lorie Crockett spent the first 20 years of her career working in the retail industry. She managed one of the top stores in the country for American Eagle Outfitters and opened over 20 new stores as they expanded their company. Lorie continued to open stores in the retail industry as she traveled across the country working for Home Goods as a merchandising presentation specialist. Lorie spent most of her career teaching and training staff and new employees how to best run their businesses.  After putting away her suitcases to start a family Lorie switched gears within TJX Corporation and started working at a distribution center. Within a few years AJ Wright closed their doors and Lorie was an instant stay at home Mom that needed a career change. She thought that her real-world experiences of teaching and training would be beneficial in the classroom and signed up for her first masters course in education.

Lorie visited Atlantis Charter School for an observation within a co-taught classroom. After meeting with the principal, she landed a long-term substitute position in January. Lorie recalls it as being the ultimate experience because she was able to spend one month in the classroom with the teacher before maternity leave and then was able to co-teach with the special education teacher. Upon finishing the substitute position Lorie was asked to stay on as a full-time teacher in 5^th grade teaching Math and Science. It was here that Lorie was put to the challenge of juggling new content, new classroom, and a new co-teacher. This is where Lorie realized that school was just not enough to prepare you for your own classroom. Lorie was lucky enough to be surrounded by a team of people that were well diverse in content, special education, planning, and classroom management. She became the teacher she wanted to be with their continued support and mindfulness of her new role.

Now in her 5^th year at the Charter School Lorie has been part of the Lead for Atlantis team and has had the opportunity to shadow leaders. Through her work in this program she has seen the high turnover rate of teachers and has gone back to her roots in retail asking herself “Why do people leave?”. Training and culture is key especially in an environment that is fast paced and brutally honest.   This is when Lorie started building an action plan to increase their mentoring program especially for new teachers entering the school. It’s important to have a buddy or confidant that you can turn to in time of crisis. We wear so many different hats within schools yet give teachers so little training especially in the social emotional piece. It boggled her mind that she received 6 months of training to set up new stores to look nice, but we give teachers time to observe and maybe teach a few lessons and then throw them in their own rooms to survive for a year.

As Lorie continues her path with Atlantis she is growing the mentor program and trying to decrease teacher turn around rates. Her first mission is to write a new action plan for the program and then work on an orientation that will allow teachers to enter the classroom their first day with all the tools necessary. Lorie recently accepted the position of site leader which will allow her to continue her quest of building confidence in teachers through mindfulness as well as providing them with continued supports for their classrooms.    Lorie is ecstatic to be part of this mindful program of mentoring.