LaVonda White, a mathematics teacher at Brandon Middle School in Brandon, MS, has been teaching in the Rankin County School District for 10 years. Mrs. White is currently chair of the school’s mathematics department, and she teaches Algebra I at the eighth-grade level. She taught mathematics at the Rankin County Alternative Education Center for three years before coming to Brandon Middle School.
Mrs. White is widely acclaimed by parents for her dedication and love of teaching. She is described as a rare commodity, displaying both expertise in her subject area and excellence in teaching.
She is always available to help students, staying after school to ensure that they master the lessons and concepts she has presented in class. Parents credit her with their children’s achievement in raising their ACT math test scores. Mrs. White instills in her students a positive attitude and practical sense about algebra.
To help her stay on the cutting edge of teaching methods, Mrs. White focuses on professional development, and she completed the Content Oriented Methods and Practices with Analysis of Strategies and Standards (COMPASS) course.
Mrs. White was named the Wal-Mart Store #265 Teacher of the Year in 2005. She also received a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Minority University Mathematics, Science and Technology Awards for Teacher and Curriculum Enhancement Program (MASTAP) graduate fellowship.
Mrs. White is certified to teach grades seven through twelve mathematics and general science. She has a B.S. in computer science and applied mathematics and a B.S. in mathematics from Alcorn State University and has an M.S. in mathematics from Mississippi College.