About the English Language Arts Coordinators
Michelle O'Donnell Dr. Susan Luft
Michelle O’Donnell has been an elementary educator in New York since 2011. She has worked with children from birth to grade five, with a focus on literacy in developing both pre-emerging and proficient readers. In the classroom, Michelle has continually demonstrated her passion for literacy instruction, equipping students with the essential reading and writing skills to tackle 21st-century world issues across multiple disciplines. At her core, Michelle is a collaborator who looks for innovative and diverse methods of instruction. Professional development is a focus for Michelle, in both leading sessions for experienced teachers, and participating in sessions alongside top leaders in the educational field. Michelle holds degrees in General and Special Education from Loyola University in Baltimore, Maryland, and Touro College in New York City.
Susan Luft has been an educator for over 20 years. In her role as Elementary ELA Coordinator for Scarsdale Public Schools, her innovative instructional focus is on collaboration and dialogic learning. She is passionate about supporting student literacy development through traditional and 21st-century skills. Susan has facilitated many teacher training courses offered by the Scarsdale Teachers Institute and has taught workshops and graduate courses as an adjunct professor and GSE presenter at Fordham University. She received her PhD from Fordham University in 2014. Her research focus has been student development in Digital Literacies and Internet Communication Technologies as a resource for communication, inquiry, learning, and problem-solving.