Curry School of Education

The Central Virginia Writing Project (CVWP), one of over 200 sites of the National Writing Project, provides support for educators across Central Virginia, early childhood through university, and across all disciplines. We offer a dual focus on both the importance of the teacher as writer and students as writers across the curriculum.

CVWP provides a variety of professional development opportunities across the state where teachers teach teachers effective practices that enhance student writing and learning. We share the National Writing Project's vision of empowering teacher-leaders to be change agents.

The CVWP is organized and run by a leadership team composed of educational professionals in our region.

Region Served by CVWP

School Divisions Served by CVWP

*Hanover is not shown in yellow on the map but it is served by CVWP.

CVWP Leadership Team

Jane Hansen, Co-Director

Jane Hansen is a professor in the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia, and serves as the co-director of the Central Virginia Writing Project. An experienced researcher and teacher in the field of writing instruction she brings, to our team, K-University knowledge about writing across the curriculum. In various schools, over the past several years, she has studied students as writers twice a week for at least one year in each setting. In her publications and interactions with teachers, she loves to tell stories about the many writers she has come to know.

Kateri Thunder, Co-Director

Kateri Thunder is a professor of mathematics education for elementary teachers at James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and serves as the co-director of the Central Virginia Writing Project. Previously a classroom teacher and a math specialist in the Charlottesville City Schools, Kateri collected the data for her dissertation in a prekindergarten classroom. She has presented at various national conferences, published articles, and served as co-instructor for the CVWP 2011 Invitational Summer Institute. When not working (when is that?), Kateri socializes, runs, and teaches piano.

Penny Bowles

With experience as a public school teacher and an education consultant, Penny Bowles now teaches undergraduate students critical thinking and writing at the University of Virginia. Penny joined the full-time teaching faculty at UVA in June of 2007, a year before completing her doctoral work from the Curry School of Education. As the Associate Director of Student Academic Support, Penny works with students both in and outside of her classes in finding personal engagement success in education. Penny also serves as the technology liaison for the Central Virginia Writing Project.

Julie Dauksys

Julie Dauksys is a reading coach at Liberty Middle School in Hanover County, a National Board Certified Teacher, and  an experienced professional developer in many literacy topics.  Julie holds an Educational Specialist degree from UVA, and brings much experience with children's literature to the team. She loves to co-lead the Young Writers' Institutes that CVWP offers.

Mo Gaffney

Mo Gaffney is head of The Covenant Lower School. As an administrator she is supporting teachers to grow professionally as teachers of writing. Mo has done extensive research in elementary classrooms and, as a Literacy Coach, has led numerous reading and writing workshops for teachers. She presented at the 2011 NCTE conference in Chicago, sharing impressive results form her kindergarten study and dissertation. Mo has been happily married for 23 years and is the mother of 4 children who have been through elementary, middle and high school. Her oldest now attends UVA.

Amy Hale

Amy Hale is the Social Studies Department Chair at Monticello High School in Albemarle County.  Throughout her classroom teaching experience, she has focused on the importance of writing for all students and worked with her content team to implement diverse writing assignments.  Amy has co-presented a writing continuum for freshmen students at the local and national level.  She will also be co-presenting “Craft Across the Curriculum:  Authentic Writing Processes and Products” at NCTE in 2012.  Amy is always looking for opportunities that can help her grow as a teacher of writing.  In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and running.

Cathy Meaney

Cathy is the Literacy Coordinator at The Covenant Lower School. She is a National Board Certified Teacher in Literacy and has worked with a variety of students as a classroom teacher and Special Education teacher during the past twenty years. Her favorite professional development has been working as a teacher researcher with local teachers and graduate students, sharing and discussing children's writing from her own students.

Hollins Mills

Hollins Mills is an instructional coach for Albemarle County Public Schools. She has experience in leading school wide staff development as well as facilitating individual action research projects, and is a former elementary school teacher.  Hollins has been a member of multiple writing research teams and has attended two summer writing institutes at Columbia University. She carries her notebook in her purse and is always on the look out for her next writing idea.

Maggie Morris

Maggie Morris is the kindergarten team leader and Diversity Resource Teacher at Crozet Elementary School.  Her kindergarten children write daily, talk about their writing practices, and become excited and grow as young writers. Maggie is an experienced professional developer who emphasizes culturally responsive teaching practices across the curriculum, and looks forward to supporting teachers of young writers.

Dorothy Suskind

Dorothy Suskind is a first grade teacher at St. Christopher’s School in Richmond, Virginia. She also teaches courses in reading, writing, and children’s literature at the University of Virginia, University of Richmond, Mary Baldwin College, and Virginia Commonwealth University. She was also an Assistant Professor at the University of Mary Washington. She has taught pre-school, second grade, and served as a K-5 reading specialist. Dorothy has a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia, has published articles, and presents at conferences. Her research interests include writing across the curriculum, boy writers, and writing as a tool for empowerment. Dorothy’s most important job is being a mom to her two young boys, Mac and Charlie.

Jeri Watts

Jeri Watts is a professor at Lynchburg College and an alumnus of two programs with the Central Virginia Writing Project. She is a published author of children's and adult work. Jeri teaches pre-teachers as well as students in the Master's programs at Lynchburg College, and a particular interest of hers is teachers as writers and connecting that personal writing to the writing instruction in the classroom. She looks forward to writing groups and other professional development opportunities that will arise in our CVWP area!