Kristy Watkins

Kristy Watkins

Kristy Watkins is a distinguished educational leader with over 25 years of dedicated service in advancing K-12 education. Her career commenced as a 5th grade teacher, where she implemented diverse instructional strategies to elevate student achievement and collaborated with peers to develop and share innovative curriculum approaches. Transitioning to a reading specialist role, Kristy expertly coached K-5 educators through Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI) coaching cycles, facilitated data driven analysis to identify strengths and areas of growth.

Kristy has designed and led professional development sessions, empowering teachers, staff, and administrators to adopt research-based strategies that foster positive and focused learning environments. After five years as a local reading coach, Kristy advanced to a regional reading specialist with the Alabama State Department of Education. In this capacity, she collaborated with school systems statewide, enhancing teachers’ proficiency in all facets of literacy instruction. She developed and facilitated professional development programs aligned with college and career readiness standards, guiding K-12 educators in effective classroom implementation.

Kristy’s extensive experience culminated in her current role as curriculum director at Jasper City Schools. Here, she has been instrumental in defining and implementing professional development initiatives, analyzing data to drive systematic improvements, while leading the district’s Marzano High Reliability Schools (HRS) journey since 2022. Her commitment to excellence is evident through her active participation in state department meetings where she is chair of the Literacy Task Force playing a crucial role in shaping literacy education policies and practices within the state, aiming to ensure students achieve reading proficiency by the end of third grade. Kristy’s unwavering dedication to educational excellence and her strategic leadership have significantly contributed to the advancement of teaching and learning within her district and across the state.