Katie Ferguson, 2nd grade teacher in the Schenectady City School District, is the 2012 New York State Teacher of the Year and a graduate of The Sage Colleges School of Education.  Her work with independent literacy centers has often been observed by teachers throughout her district. She prides herself in individualizing instruction to meet the needs of her learners and enjoys creating materials to meet the specific needs of her students, from individual behavior charts to songs, chants, or cheers to help children learn new concepts.  She also believes that a strict, but caring environment is essential to learning both academic and life lessons.