Adona Elkins

I am an experienced educator and curriculum leader with over two decades in elementary education, currently serving as District ELA Curriculum Lead and Fourth Grade Teacher at Duneland School Corporation in Chesterton, Indiana, a role I have held since August 2022. In this position, I drive data-based instructional improvements, analyzing internal reports to identify gaps in student learning and adjust curriculum and instruction, integrate EdTech to enhance instructional delivery and increase student engagement, and implement varied teaching styles to support diverse learners. My key achievements include directing a district-wide rollout of Standards-Based Grading, engaging teachers, administrators, and families through workshops and stakeholder feedback sessions, guiding underperforming fourth-grade students through a full year of academic and social-emotional growth, developing and implementing rigorous curricula that led to a ninety-five percent ILEARN Math pass rate, eighty percent ILEARN Reading pass rate, and a two hundred and forty percent increase in NWEA RIT scores, designing and delivering high-impact workshops on effective teaching and assessment strategies, partnering with district curriculum teams to evaluate and revise instructional materials, leading Phase One of Universal Design for Learning implementation and co-developing the Guaranteed Viable Curriculum for math and ELA, coordinating after-school writing club and student leadership team, and facilitating grade-level PLCs that improved instructional alignment and increased student mastery by fifteen percent.

Prior to this role, I spent nearly eight years at Michigan City Area Schools, where I served as Fourth Grade Teacher for three years, implementing data-driven targeted instruction that resulted in a fifteen percent increase in reading proficiency, building academic confidence through small-group and one-on-one instruction, strengthening family partnerships, integrating educational software, and contributing to PLCs. I also served as ELL Substitute Teacher and Instructional Assistant for over four years, where I co-developed differentiated instructional plans, facilitated communication on virtual platforms, tracked and analyzed student performance, and led extracurricular activities.

Earlier in my career, I served as Elementary School Teacher at Maranatha Christian Academy in Grenada for nearly fifteen years, where I delivered student-centered instruction grounded in culturally responsive pedagogy, guided educators in refining teaching strategies, and supported students' social-emotional well-being.

I hold a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Indiana Wesleyan University, which I completed in December 2025, and an Education Specialist degree in Educational Leadership from Indiana Wesleyan University, where I graduated with a 4.0 GPA.

Across my career in education, curriculum development, and instructional leadership, my work has been driven by a commitment to equity, student growth, and teacher development. Whether I am leading district-wide curriculum initiatives, mentoring new educators, or teaching in the classroom, I bring a data-driven approach, a passion for inclusive instruction, and a dedication to helping every student succeed. I am proud of the work I have done throughout my career and excited to continue making a difference in education as a curriculum leader and advocate for student success.