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Teachers on Read, Write, ROAR! Upper Elementary

Read, Write, ROAR! Upper Elementary has a cast of real Michigan teachers teaching lessons in their classrooms and outside on location in parks, and more. Students learn media literacy, word decoding, and more while being exposed to concepts from science and social studies class. Learn a little bit about each teacher below.

Brittany Mora

Mrs. Mora teaches third grade at Bloomingdale Public Schools in the very same building where
she attended elementary. Her favorite parts of third grade are sharing stories with students and
encouraging learners to love words. When she’s not teaching, Mrs. Mora enjoys testing new
recipes, taking walks with her family, and reading in Spanish with her husband and children.

Danielle DeFauw

Danielle L. DeFauw, Ph.D., is Professor of Reading and Language Arts in the Department of Education, Health, and Human Services at the University of Michigan – Dearborn. Dr. DeFauw’s primary research interests focus on supporting teachers’ development of their teacher-writer voices and the use of authentic writing instruction to support students’ writing growth.

Geanice Miller

Geanice has been a member of MAISA GELN’s Early Literacy Task Force since Fall 2019. In previous years she has served in the same role, as well as the Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary of this organization. Geanice currently coaches and consults educators in Van Buren County who work with families and students from Birth through Grade 12. Having served as the coach for “Read, Write, Roar!” for both the second grade and preschool series, Geanice is also working on finalizing Lesson Planning Guides for Kindergarten, first grade and third grade for the series, and has just signed on to work as the
coach for “Read, Write, Roar!” Upper Elementary.

Jess Kass

Jeff Kass teaches Tenth Grade English and Creative Writing in Ann Arbor MI. He’s the award- winning author of Knuckleheads, Independent Publishers Best Short Fiction Collection of 2011, as well as two full-length poetry collections, My Beautiful Hook-nosed Beauty Queen Strut Wave and Teacher/Pizza Guy, a 2020 Michigan Notable Book. He has taught poetry classes and workshops to thousands of students and is a recipient of a prestigious 2023 Jack Hazard Fellowship for writers who teach in public schools. His newest poetry collection True Believer is forthcoming from Dzanc Books in March, 2025.

Kara Clayton

Kara Clayton is a PBS Certified Media Literacy Educator with over 30 years of teaching experience in the Michigan public school system. Passionate about empowering learners, she guides them in accessing, analyzing, evaluating, creating, and engaging with diverse forms of communication, with a special focus on video production. In her free time, Kara enjoys capturing the beauty of her pollinator garden, where she photographs and films the bees and butterflies that visit each summer.

LaDonna Mask

LaDonna Mask is a dedicated educator and servant leader with a demonstrated commitment to literacy and communication arts. She served the Lansing School District for decades, beginning her career in 1974 as a special education teacher. She has been a champion for literacy through various leadership roles, initiatives and programs including PBS Digital Innovator. She retired from the district in 2024, and is now leveraging her experience as a freelance consultant in K-5 administration, curriculum building, and lesson planning.

Meg Butchart

Meg Butchart is a screenwriter living in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In 2022, she graduated from Eastern Michigan University with her bachelors degree in Cinema Studies. Growing up in Metro Detroit, PBS was an important part of her childhood and a factor in what inspired her great love for reading and writing.

Paul Roose

Paul Roose is a naturalist and outdoor educator connecting thousands of youth to nature throughout his career. He holds a BS from Lake Superior State University where he studied Biology and Fisheries & Wildlife Management. Not only is he certified in the National Archery in the Schools Program, but he is also an engaging living history interpreter bringing pioneers, voyagers and Abraham Lincoln to life. As a multiple award winning virtual educator, he has presented throughout the US and Canada at numerous schools, conferences, libraries, camps and outdoor education settings.

Yarnell Ball

Driven by a lifelong passion for youth development, Yarnell Ball transitioned from performing jazzy tunes on the vibrant stages of New York City to the nurturing educational spaces of Michigan a decade ago. As an award-winning and innovative teaching artist, she has collaborated with a wide range of educational and community organizations, co-creating impactful programs, original songs, and content featuring character education and the performing arts to ignite a love for literacy in children and spark positive social change.

Brian Peterson-Roest

Brian Peterson-Roest has been an elementary teacher in Rochester Community Schools for 25 years. Brian was personally honored by President Barack Obama for receiving the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (2012). He was also a recipient of the Michigan Science Teacher of the Year Award (2011), the Humanex Excellence in Teaching Award (2015), the Justice, Equity Diversity, Inclusion Award (2021) and was chosen as one of Crain’s Notable LGBTQ in Business Leaders (2021). Brian founded the non-profit organization Bees in the D. Bees in the D is devoted to the education and conservation of Honey Bees and other pollinators in the Detroit area.