Matthew Bado, a 2018 Teacher of the Year, is a master elementary educator with over six years of engaging young minds in first, second, and fourth grades. He most recently served as an instructional coach in language arts and coordinator of the campus Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS) committee.

Bado has demonstrated results in building teacher capacity, including strengthening collaboration within professional learning communities (PLC); curriculum mapping; analyzing data and responding with student-centered action plans; and ensuring evidenced-based instructional strategies are integrated within the four language domains of speaking, listening, reading and writing. His efforts created opportunities for learning leaps.

He spent his teaching career in Texas at a two-way dual language campus in the McKinney Independent School District outside of Dallas. Bado currently teaches fourth grade in St. Vrain Valley in Colorado.

As Co-Chair of the campus-wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports Committee (PBIS), Bado’s leadership was instrumental in establishing a safe and collaborative campus culture, which resulted in campus High Reliability School Level I certification in February 2017 and Level II certification in December 2018. As PBIS Co-Chair, he has spearheaded the annual back-to-school picnic since 2016, which is designed to bring students, families and staff together to promote positive connections and first impressions going into the new school year.

Bado has conducted professional development in the science of reading; writing and grammar instruction; progress monitoring; technology applications; and behavior and classroom management practices that accelerated student growth and achievement.

Prior to becoming a teacher, Bado was a transformative leader at the global management firm, Booz Allen Hamilton in Washington, DC, streamlining strategic communications (e.g., social media, messaging, outreach, etc.) programs for the largest health system in the world, the United States Military. Additionally, he trained over 500 Booz Allen employees on social media usage and best practices, resulting in 85 percent adoption within the firm.