Ivy Horan is going all out to share her love of reading with students at Mayberry School in East Hartford, where she is a first-grade teacher.

This enthusiastic self-starter has organized a highly successful, school-wide Literacy Night for the students and their parents.

Ms. Horan, whom we honored in 2019, is in her fifth year of teaching at the elementary school where students of color comprise 91 percent of the student body.

Ivy Horan in her classroom library, stocked with multicultural books.

Previously, she organized a Multicultural Night to celebrate the rich diversity of the Mayberry students, whose families hail from many countries and who speak well over two dozen languages other than English.

Equity Team Project

Ms. Horan suggested the event to her principal, Angela Hewins, at the start of the academic year when the Equity Team, which she co-leads, was planning its calendar of events.

“Angie enthusiastically endorsed the plan,” she said. “She is very supportive of any events that can bring our families closer together within the school community.”

Hundreds of books donated

Enthusiastic Community Response

Ms. Horan and Kennedy Martin, co-leader the Equity Team, solicited donations of books via Facebook and local online forums. They collected more than 1,000 used and new books. Many of the books reflected the multicultural character of the student body and many supported social and emotional learning.

On the big night, students from kindergarten through fifth grade packed the cafeteria along with parents, teachers, and professors and students from the University of Saint Joseph, who are partnering with Mayberry on various educational projects.

The East Hartford Public Library also supplied books, and staff provided information on library resources. FoodCorps, a supplier of farm-to-school provisions, donated cookies and locally sourced milk for the event. The school’s Family Resource Center staffed a table to inform parents of community resources.

Teachers, Parents, and Students Reading

“The evening began with teachers at each cafeteria table reading books to students and their families,” Ms. Horan said. “Angelica Silva, our bilingual family specialist, read books in Spanish as well. Then students began ‘shopping’ for books, and parents began reading to their own children. And some of our fifth graders began reading to the younger children. It was beautiful!

“Each student took home at least 10 books. USJ students guided families to books that were age-appropriate for their children,” she said. “Students were excited to get new books, and parents expressed their appreciation.

“The entire Literacy Night process—from planning to execution– was a testament to how kind people can be,” Ms. Horan said. “When I reached out to the community for book donations, dozens of people responded. People dropped off books at my house, and I picked up books from their homes as well. My Equity Team co-leader, Kennedy Martin, did the same. Both of us received an immense amount of support. 

“Then, when it came to the event, our amazing school staff and community partners were enthusiastically involved. I had a smile on my face the entire time! Families were excited not only to receive free books for their children, but also to connect with one another. Parents said they enjoyed listening to others read stories as well as reading stories themselves.

“When we give students the tools to read, they are able to have the power to learn, engage in the world around them, and prepare for their future,” she said. “Our school prioritizes literacy instruction daily, and these books help students to have the ability to practice those skills at home.”

Attendees learned about library resources.

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Pursuing a doctorate at Harvard would be challenging enough for most people.

But Vernon-James Riley, whom we honored in 2008, has launched an ambitious education consulting venture, VJR Consulting Firm, while studying at the prestigious university in Cambridge, Mass.

In 2024, Mr. Riley and his team of eight education professionals worked with clients in more than a dozen cities from Massachusetts to Texas. The firm helps schools to accelerate teacher development, refine leadership practices, and strengthen instructional systems.

Vernon-James Riley

Alma Exley Scholar at Yale

We introduced Mr. Riley as an Alma Exley Scholar while he was an undergraduate at Yale. His proud grandmother, Ruby Riley, who had raised him, had taken the train from Harlem to join in the celebration in Hartford.

Ruby Riley with Vernon-James at scholarship celebration.

Advanced Degrees

He went on to earn master’s degrees from Michigan State, Teachers’ College at Columbia University, and Relay Graduate School of Education.

He began his career as a teacher in Brooklyn, N.Y, and served in school leadership positions in Mount Vernon, N.Y., and Newark, N.J. Before returning to his studies, he served and supported leaders across the country in several roles at the Relay Graduate School of Education.

Expertise in Professional Development

VJR Consulting supports school and system leaders with developing the mindsets, skills, habits, and systems for transformative instructional leadership. Strengthening the capabilities of these educators has produced measurable improvements in student achievement.

Last year, the firm provided training and coaching to educators in nine cities, having an impact on more than 200,000 students. The firm also partnered with educational organizations to deliver professional development in 10 additional cities.

Vernon-James Riley conducting professional-development session for educators.

Supporting Development of Leaders

How did Mr. Riley get started as an education consultant?

“I had done some consulting work prior to Harvard,” he told me. “But it accelerated once I began my doctoral program, in part because I wanted to continue the work.

“I loved supporting schools through leader development,” he said. “But also, I was motivated by the very real reason that I needed to supplement my small doctoral stipend.”

Growing the Business

“Initially, the work began to build organically, mostly through word-of-mouth referrals. People assumed that since I had gone back to school, I might have time to work on projects. Others, who had worked with me through my previous employer, wanted to keep working with me directly.

“Once I realized there was a need for my expertise in the field, I founded the firm as an LLC in 2023. I then began to reach out to individuals in my network who knew the caliber of my work. Only recently have I begun to build a social media presence and try to market my firm to organizations I may not yet know.”

Positive Results

Whether it’s providing professional learning, offering executive coaching, or facilitating strategic planning, VJR Consulting has gained a reputation as a valuable resource for educators.

The firm has trained more than 10,000 educators in well over a dozen cities across the country and in the United Kingdom. Coaching school leadership teams in nine urban districts has resulted in double-digit gains in student performance in mathematics and/or English language arts in a single year.

Please join me in congratulating Vernon-James Riley on launching a successful business while pursuing his doctorate.

Contact him at

Or he may be reached on social media at https://linktr.ee/vjrconsulting

After May we’ll be calling him Dr. Riley.

• Woody Exley

Vernon-James with Ruby Riley at Alma Exley scholarship event.

Connecticut’s Teacher Residency Program (TRP) is addressing the teacher shortage while also having an impact on the shortage of teachers of color.

I’m proud to report that Dr. Violet Jiménez Sims, an Alma Exley Scholar, is a leader in this state initiative.

Since we honored Dr. Sims in 2008, she has emerged as a highly respected educational leader as a public-school administrator, a UConn faculty member, and now as managing director of academics at the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC), which manages the TRP.

     Dr. Violet Jiménez Sims

Achieving Results

       The state approved the Teacher Residency Program in 2019 among a variety of initiatives to increase teacher diversity. After the first five years, 135 program graduates are teaching in Connecticut schools—94 percent of whom are persons of color.

       The program is in high demand among aspiring teachers. While the national trend in teacher-preparation programs is a decline in enrollment, TRP had a record applicant pool for the 2024-2025 cohort, resulting in 45 residents enrolled and placed in residencies within partner districts and a waiting list of more than 20 additional qualified candidates.

       “TRP enables candidates with bachelor’s degrees to take courses leading to teacher certification,” Dr. Sims says. “The program helps to break down barriers to entry into the teaching profession by covering the cost of tuition and paying a living wage during the one-year residency. Candidates receive three years of mentoring support from experienced educators from the time they are residents through their first two years as teachers of record.”

       The Capitol Region Education Council established the program to increase diversity among public school educators. The program has since grown to a state-wide partnership of the Regional Education Service Center (RESC) Alliance.

       Currently, only 11 percent of Connecticut public school teachers are persons of color, compared to over half of the students.

Impact of Teachers of Color

       “Ethnic and racial diversity among teachers and administrators adds positive value for all students,” Dr. Sims says. “This is evident in more equitable approaches to student discipline, greater representation of students of color in gifted programs, and improved student performance.”

       (Studies have demonstrated that students of color do better when they have at least one teacher of color.)

       Serving with Dr. Sims on the TRP leadership team are Ushawnda Mitchell, managing director of residencies, and Dr. Niralee Patel-Lye, managing director of recruitment, retention, and partnerships.

       Congratulations to Dr. Sims and her colleagues for their commitment to the cause of increasing diversity among the educator workforce in Connecticut. It’s heartening to see them achieving results and making a difference in our public schools.

• Woody Exley