Quiana Fields, 37 / E3+ Lead Teacher, Roanoke City Public Schools
Quiana Fields has been in education for over 15 years, having taught middle school English writing and literature in RCPS since 2007; she has been a department chair, served on several panels and mentors new teachers at all grade levels, Pre-K-5th. In 2017, Fields became the first person in the US to become a SIM Specialist in the Proficiency in Sentence Writing Strategy sustaining and growing the writing skills of Roanoke City students. She is part of a network improvement community through the E3+ grant, collaborating with seven other school districts from Delaware, Georgia and Texas. She serves as the First Anti-Basileus of the Eta Omega Sigma Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated and helps oversee national programs at the local level in Roanoke, like OPERATION BigBookBag and continues the Sorority’s Project CRADLE Care. “Because I developed a passion for learning and helping others, it directly impacts our community as I cultivate the hearts and minds of learners to maximize their full potential,” she says. “This same passion helps to foster a sense of belonging in our communities for others through various outreach programs and neighborhood support initiatives.”
- Earned Bachelor of Arts in English, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2007
- Earned Master of Science in Literacy Education, Radford University, 2022
- Supports teachers and staff with non-evaluative observations and co-teaches or provides modeling of instructional practices
- Works alongside the school’s Instructional Coach through more of a lens of providing instructional best practice support
- Works closely with the Mindfulness Coordinator to teach and help educators implement social and emotional learning daily in all content areas to improve students’ academic performance, to curtail bullying, reduce dropout rates, and build character as young students one day become active responsible citizens in the world
From the Nomination: “… [Quiana Fields] serves as the First Anti-Basileus of the Eta Omega Sigma Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated, a historically African American sorority and international collegiate and non-profit community service organization. Locally, she supports the Sorority’s mission to enhance the quality of life for women and their families in the U.S. and globally through community service, civil, and social action. She helps to oversee national programs at the local level in Roanoke like OPERATION BigBookBag, a program designed to address the needs, challenges and issues that face school-aged children who are educationally at-risk in local homeless shelters and extended care hospitals, by collecting donations from community partners and individuals to provide assistance with educational materials, equipment and supplies. Along with the local chapter, she continues the Sorority’s Project CRADLE Care, one program designed to raise awareness of the disparate and inequitable maternal and infant health outcomes of Black women. Through Project CRADLE Care, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. and the March of Dimes collaborate to address the issues that adversely affect Black women and their children ranging from chronic physiological stressors and underlying health conditions to structural racism and implicit biases in our healthcare system. Fields embodies the heart of an educator by being first partaker as a lifelong learner. She always looks for ways to better her craft. She then takes what she learns and is unselfish by sharing and collaborating with others to help improve their craft too. She is a resource for teachers in her district and offers support for teachers outside of her building and content. She goes above and beyond to help coach staff in taking the required curriculum from paper to implementation through evidence-based practices to promote student success while also enhancing their own knowledge to include collaboration and reflection which is necessary for maximum growth, adaptiveness and effectiveness.”
What do you love about Roanoke?
Fields: “Roanoke is home! It has maintained its small-town feel, but it is packed with rich culture. The diversity and character of our communities are what blends us together as the vibrant, innovative and exciting Star City!”
How does your passion impact our community?
Fields: “Passion gets you to do the things necessary to grow and improve. Because I developed a passion for learning and helping others, it directly impacts our community as I cultivate the hearts and minds of learners to maximize their full potential. I am committed and dedicated to the students, staff, and families in Roanoke City. This same passion helps to foster a sense of belonging in our communities for others through various outreach programs and neighborhood support initiatives.”
