MGI Staff

Katy is an Assistant Professor of Education at Saint Michael's College. She has taught fifth grade at Stowe Elementary, and sixth grade at Rumney Memorial School. Prior to teaching at Stowe, Katy was a professional development coordinator at the University of Vermont, Tarrant Institute for Innovative Education where she conducted research about adolescent education and partners with schools to help them personalize learning, engage students, and participate in action research. She is the author of five books about education including most recently: Real Talk for New Teachers: Tools for a Sustainable Career (Routledge, 2025), and is a co-author of Personalized Learning in the Middle Grades (2019) as well as several chapters and journal articles. Katy was a classroom teacher for 19 years and regularly presents her research at state and national conferences. She is passionate about promoting student and teacher voice, engaging early adolescent students, sharing the power of service learning, and creating inclusive communities where joy, courageous conversations and kindness are the norm.

James is  Professor and Director of the Education Department at Saint Michael's College. He has been teaching at the Middle Grades Institute since 2004. Prior to coming to Vermont, James was a middle and high school science teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area where he earned his doctorate in educational policy and organization from the University of California, Berkeley. Currently, James teaches courses in middle grades organization, environmental education, and educational policy and research. He works extensively with Vermont teachers on personalized learning as a pedagogy for teaching social justice and sustainability. His research investigates the intersection of school reform initiatives and teacher implementation of those reforms in middle and high schools. James also serves as co-editor of the Middle Grades Review. When James is not involved in education, he enjoys hiking, backcountry skiing, and tending to his small organic farm.

Meg teaches humanities to 7th and 8th grade students at Shelburne Community School in Shelburne, Vermont, where she has taught since 1994. Meg cherishes the opportunity to co-create meaningful learning experiences with students and colleagues, with a particular lens on opportunities that foster community and instill social justice and equity. Meg is passionate about middle level education, as demonstrated by her years teaching, her commitment to partnering with students and colleagues, and her engagement in professional organizations that promote middle level practices. She is a long-time board member of the Vermont Association for Middle Level Education (VAMLE), a participant and practitioner at the Middle Grades Institute, and a regular contributor to Middle Grades Conversations. She holds her national board certification as a middle level generalist, and just recently received her Master of Education. Meg lives in Richmond, Vermont with her patient husband Mark, two active sons, Evan(19) and Sam (16), and three cats!

Don is a humanities educator finishing his 20th year at Main Street Middle School in Montpelier, Vermont. After spending 17 years teaching language arts and social studies, Don has created, with youth partners, the MSMS_Sustain sustainability program. Spanning grades 5-8, this project and community based program focuses on the elements and challenges of creating sustainable communities.  His attempts to make education relevant include the development of curriculum tied to sustainability, social justice, integrated literacy, and technology. In addition to his classroom duties he directs Middle Grades Conversations, is an adjunct instructor at Saint Michael's College, and a Nationally Board Certified Teacher. When not working on his craft, Don can be found spending time with his family enjoying Vermont's outdoor, cultural, and community offerings. He is an avid angler, reader, and runner who believes that, "It's not where you start, it's where you finish."

Kyle Chadburn currently serves as the Access & Opportunities Coordinator for the Orleans Central Supervisory Union in northern Vermont, a role he has held for the past three years. He taught middle level Humanities for 12 years, designing student-centered, personalized learning opportunities that incorporated student activism, focused on issues of social justice, and embedded student voice, choice, and collaboration. Kyle received his Master's Degree in Education, as well as a certificate in Holistic Restorative Education, from St. Michael's College. He has provided professional learning opportunities for fellow educators through his work with the Vermont Rural Education Collaborative, Vermont Higher Education Collaborative, the national Association for Middle Level Education, and the Vermont Association for Middle Level Education, for which he is the Executive Director. Kyle lives in Coventry, Vermont with his wife Sarah and their two dogs, Finley and Nola. He enjoys performing and recording as a musician, writing, and spending time exploring in the woods.

Andrea Gratton is a 7th and 8th grade social studies teacher at Brownington Central School in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. With 15 years of experience in middle level education, Andrea has taught language arts, social studies and a co-taught humanities program. She also serves on the board for the Vermont Association of Middle Level Education and contributes to the monthly MGC Conversations. She is passionate about collaborating with students, personalized learning, and teaching through the lens of social justice. Andrea's work has been shared at local and national conferences and is used as exemplars in undergraduate education programs. When not busy dreaming about how to improve middle level education, Andrea enjoys playing, coaching, and watching soccer, listening to podcasts, and creating digital art.