Tennessee Educator Haley Wood Selected for Prestigious National Teacher Leadership Program

MCMINNVILLE, TN (July 23, 2024) -  Twelve teacher leaders from across the country will join the inaugural class for the NIET Fellows Program. The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching is among the largest trainers of teacher leaders, with more than 35,000 teacher leaders trained to date. The new NIET Fellows Program selects teacher leaders for a dynamic one-year program to deepen their knowledge of instructional best practices and more effectively support the work taking place within and beyond their school and district. 

Among the distinguished fellows is Haley Wood from Dibrell Elementary School at Warren County Schools in McMinnville, Tennessee. Wood was one of just 12 selected to be a part of the fellowship and receive a $10,000 stipend out of nearly 250 applicants from across the country. 

"It is a privilege to welcome Haley Wood from Warren County Schools in Tennessee to the inaugural cohort for the NIET Fellows Program," said NIET CEO Dr. Joshua Barnett. "We identified 12 exceptional educators from a nationwide pool of nearly 250 applicants. This fellowship will empower some of the most effective teacher leaders in our national network to further develop their skills, driving instructional and student learning advancements."

Wood has served Warren County Schools for 12 years as a district instructional coach and former second-grade teacher. She was recently named assistant principal at Dibrell Elementary, where she will continue to support teachers and students. Wood holds a Bachelor in Elementary Education, a Master in Curriculum and Instruction as a reading specialist, and an education specialist degree in Instructional Leadership.

“Haley’s acceptance into the NIET Fellows Program reflects her commitment to instructional leadership, teacher support, and improving student outcomes,” said Warren County Schools Director of Schools Dr. Grant Swallows. “Haley has shown an unwavering connection to her school district and students and we are excited for her to have this opportunity to grow as a professional and bring that learning back to our teachers and students.”

The NIET Fellows Program was created with educator effectiveness in mind, bringing together teacher leaders from partner schools nationwide who demonstrate exceptional implementation of NIET's principles, emphasizing educator excellence and advancing student success. Throughout the year-long fellowship, fellows will participate in professional development activities designed to enhance their leadership capabilities, including an introductory boot camp and involvement with two signature NIET events throughout the year - the 2025 NIET National Conference and the 2025 NIET Summer Institute. Each fellow will regionally travel to shadow NIET’s Senior Specialists while maintaining their full-time employment status, including salary and benefits, with their respective districts while being released to participate in program activities throughout the year.

“After seeing NIET’s impact on my associated schools, I knew that it was an exceptional organization that I wanted to continue working with,” Wood said. “I look forward to the NIET Fellows Program challenging me to grow as an instructional leader. I firmly believe in the collaborative effort of all educators working together, problem-solving, and pushing each other to be better every day for the students we serve.”

NIET has over 20 years of experience in developing teacher leaders, supporting successful instructional strategies, and building educator capacity to address student needs. NIET partners with schools, districts, states, and universities to ensure all students are taught by effective educators. Through these partnerships, NIET has served more than 9,000 schools and has impacted more than 300,000 teachers and 3 million students.

Read more about the NIET Fellows Program and meet the other 2024-25 fellows here.