Kathleen Merk Kathleen Merk is a language art teacher for middle school students in an urban district. She thrills in helping her students discover the power of words and inspiring them to discover their own creativity. To this end, she helped establish a Higher Order Thinking Skills (H.O.T.S) Club in her district. Her outstanding performance in the classroom was recognized when she received the Cavs Teacher of the Year in 1996. Beyond the classroom, Kathleen: Provides teacher training through Ashland College; Is the Critical Friends Site Coordinator; Leads her building Core Team; and Serves as a trainer for the major district professional development initiatives. Kitty has a B.S. in Education from Cleveland State University with a 1–8 certification and a M.Ed. from Cambridge College.