Who is Ms. Richmond?

Hello! My name is Ms. Richmond and I am excited to be starting my seventh year with the James Ward school community, but my 18th year with Chicago Public Schools. I am a two time Illinois State Finalist for the President's Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. I was recently featured in a Teachers in America podcast episode where I discussed my teaching philosophy. 

I am a proud CPS alumna of Luther Burbank Elementary and Lindblom Technical High School (now known as Lindblom Math and Science Academy). I graduated with a degree in Biology from the University of Illinois at Chicago, but discovered the joy of teaching during an undergraduate fellowship. As a Chicago Teaching Fellow I took an alternative route to teaching and earned a Masters in Education from National-Louis University (NLU) with an emphasis on curriculum and instruction. In 2015, I returned to NLU to earn my English as a Second Language endorsement. 

After earning my masters degree, I worked to achieve National Board Certification in Early Adolescence Science, which I successfully maintained in November 2021. Through the certification process I learned the value of setting high expectations for students, asking open ended questions, the power of self reflection and peer discussion in the science classroom. 

Food: All breakfast foods! Recently added burgers to the list!

Snack: Popcorn, Pistachios, Sour Patch Strawberries

Sports Team: Chicago Bulls, Bears and White Sox

Hobbies: Collecting Sneakers, Attending Festivals and Concerts, Cooking, Decorating, Traveling, Coloring, Spending time with family and friends