AUSB alumna Katie Furden was recently profiled as a part of Noozhawk’s series, “Salute to Teachers.” Furden received her Multiple Subject Credential and MEd at Antioch. She is now a fifth-grade teacher at Franklin Elementary School in the Santa Barbara Unified School District and has been named a Distinguished New Educator.
Prior to teaching at Franklin Elementary School, Furden had eight years of prior teaching experience, as a preschool teacher in San Clemente and as a first-grade teacher at an international school in Cambodia. Franklin Principal, Casie Killgore, recommended Furden for the award and wrote particularly about the academic success of her students: “Struggling students flourish in her class because of the culture she creates. Academically strong students achieve even higher marks as her environment lends to differentiation and self-accountability. She was instrumental in our fifth-grade gains, where 67 percent of students scored proficient on the CAASPP (California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress). Along with being strong in rigor and techniques, she also likes to have fun. She spearheads spirit days, door contests and is the school cheer coach.”
Furden, describing her motivation as a teacher, said one of her greatest joys is guiding students in becoming the best versions of themselves.
