Tara Hess is a second grade teacher at Meeker Elementary in Greeley, Colorado. She holds a BA in Communication and an MAT in Elementary Education. Tara is deeply committed to improving learning outcomes at the classroom, school, and district levels. She is passionate about research- and evidence-based instruction and the practicalities of implementation among diverse student populations. She serves as the Elementary Literacy Representative on the Greeley-Evans School District Curriculum Council and is a co-leader in providing professional development in literacy for her school and district. Her favorite place is in her own classroom, where she brings literacy to life and bridges learning to read with loving to read!