Katie Washburn began working at FSI in 2015, returning to the Carolinas after five years in Houston, Texas. There, she worked at a charter school for five years, serving students both in the middle school and high school ELA classroom and as a reading intervention instructor. This time solidified her philosophy that all students can read and learn with proper supports, and that literacy instruction opens doors for students’ futures.
Katie attended Middlebury College for her undergraduate degree in English and American Literature, with a concentration in Spanish and creative writing. She obtained her Masters in Teaching from UNC-Chapel Hill with a focus on secondary English instruction. Katie has participated in a variety of reading and writing instructional institutions, including time at the Reading and Writing Project at Teachers College at Columbia University.
As an educator, Katie brings an unwavering belief that all students can achieve at high levels, and that going to college affords the best opportunities for students. Her approach to teaching is to think about what students need to know and be able to do in order to be successful citizens of the world and design her classes toward that goal. She loves collaborating with other teachers and building classroom culture, and she loves the community at Franklin that makes her excited to come to work each day.