Meet our Leadership Team
Sabrina L. Gates, Principal
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world".
--Nelson Mandela
Sabrina L. Gates is the principal of Beulah Shoesmith Elementary School. She received her BA in English from Elmhurst College and eventually earned advanced degrees in Curriculum and Instruction, Reading, and Educational Leadership from National Louis University.
She is a member of several education organizations and has presented for the International Reading Association and Illinois Reading Council.
Ms. Gates has been fortunate that her career and life's mission are aligned: improve and change the world by educating children. In her 20 plus years as an educator, she has worked in private and public school settings as teacher, reading specialist, reading coach, staff developer, coach, and administrator. She has worked at the local school and network levels in Chicago Public Schools.
The most rewarding part of her work is seeing the vision and mission of the school in action: students working collaboratively, engaging in high levels of discourse, performing for parents and community, and losing themselves in great books. The hugs she gets daily from students are a bonus.
Ms. Gates spends time reading about 3 books at a time (professional, pleasure, spiritual). In the little spare time she has, she is learning to garden and line dance.
She has a son, Bryce, who is her life's greatest joy and best traveling companion. She enjoys spending time doing mom stuff, reading with her son and playing the Wii.
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world".
--Nelson Mandela
Sabrina L. Gates is the principal of Beulah Shoesmith Elementary School. She received her BA in English from Elmhurst College and eventually earned advanced degrees in Curriculum and Instruction, Reading, and Educational Leadership from National Louis University.
She is a member of several education organizations and has presented for the International Reading Association and Illinois Reading Council.
Ms. Gates has been fortunate that her career and life's mission are aligned: improve and change the world by educating children. In her 20 plus years as an educator, she has worked in private and public school settings as teacher, reading specialist, reading coach, staff developer, coach, and administrator. She has worked at the local school and network levels in Chicago Public Schools.
The most rewarding part of her work is seeing the vision and mission of the school in action: students working collaboratively, engaging in high levels of discourse, performing for parents and community, and losing themselves in great books. The hugs she gets daily from students are a bonus.
Ms. Gates spends time reading about 3 books at a time (professional, pleasure, spiritual). In the little spare time she has, she is learning to garden and line dance.
She has a son, Bryce, who is her life's greatest joy and best traveling companion. She enjoys spending time doing mom stuff, reading with her son and playing the Wii.
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Ashley Keine- Director of Curriculum and Instruction
"A life without cause, is a life without effect." -- Paulo Coelho Ashley Keine has been a Shoesmith Honeybee for over eight years. She obtained a BA in Elementary Education from Michigan State University and later earned a Master’s Degree from Michigan State in Educational Technology. She is currently obtaining a Master's in Educational Leadership. She taught second grade at Shoesmith for six years and is entering her second year on the Leadership Team as Director of Curriculum and Instruction. She participated in the MSU-WIPRO STEM Fellowship cohort during the 2014-2015 school year. It was a year-long program that exposed educators to innovative ways of teaching STEM content in their classrooms. She also participated in the Boundless Readers Program for three years and was a Golden Apple Nominee in 2016. |
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She had the wonderful opportunity to study and teach abroad in South Africa, a truly life changing experience. She is a huge supporter of the Fine Arts, as it contributed to her love of singing since a very young age. She is also an avid reader and is very passionate about every child finding that book that helps them fall in love with reading. Often times, you will find her in the Barnes and Noble children’s section, sitting on the floor, immersed in children’s literature.
Through her experiences in her educational career thus far, she emphasizes the need to make learning meaningful, differentiate learning to meet the needs of all students, and the importance of supporting the whole child to achieve both academic and social-emotional success. She is a proud Honeybee and is blessed to call "The Hive" her home!
Through her experiences in her educational career thus far, she emphasizes the need to make learning meaningful, differentiate learning to meet the needs of all students, and the importance of supporting the whole child to achieve both academic and social-emotional success. She is a proud Honeybee and is blessed to call "The Hive" her home!
Kendall L. Straughter- Director of Culture and Climate
"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?"
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Mr. Kendall Larry Straughter never thought that he would enter the field of education as a teenager. However, as a product of Chicago Public School, he encountered dedicated educators that nurtured his professional and academic growth and those encounters started his professional path to Shoesmith Elementary School.
He became an employee with Chicago Public School as the age of 20 in the Office of Early Childhood Education. Since 2006, he has served in the area of culture and climate at Kenwood Academy High School, Innovation Alternative High School and Air Force Academy High School.
"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?"
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Mr. Kendall Larry Straughter never thought that he would enter the field of education as a teenager. However, as a product of Chicago Public School, he encountered dedicated educators that nurtured his professional and academic growth and those encounters started his professional path to Shoesmith Elementary School.
He became an employee with Chicago Public School as the age of 20 in the Office of Early Childhood Education. Since 2006, he has served in the area of culture and climate at Kenwood Academy High School, Innovation Alternative High School and Air Force Academy High School.
He recently served as a Network Administrator as the Attendance Program Coordinator for Network 9 with Chicago Public Schools. As the lead of attendance for 28 schools with 15,000 students on the Southside of Chicago, the network experienced the largest attendance growth in the district for the 2015-2016 school year.
Outside of Chicago Public Schools, He is the Founder and Executive Director of the Non-profit Organization that mentors boys of color whom have been underserved and disenfranchised in urban neighborhoods.
Mr. Straughter is inspired by the possibilities of children being successful and embodies the belief that educators inspire students but most importantly that students inspire educators. He believes that something special is happening in the Honeybee’s hive and that the something special are the students and many stakeholders.
Outside of Chicago Public Schools, He is the Founder and Executive Director of the Non-profit Organization that mentors boys of color whom have been underserved and disenfranchised in urban neighborhoods.
Mr. Straughter is inspired by the possibilities of children being successful and embodies the belief that educators inspire students but most importantly that students inspire educators. He believes that something special is happening in the Honeybee’s hive and that the something special are the students and many stakeholders.
