Sherri Nelson Times 10 Author

Serving as a Learning Lifeguard while remaining employed full-time as an instructional leader allows Sherri to connect with students informally and reminds her why she chose to become an educator: she cares about kids and wants to positively impact their lives. 

A highly regarded educator for more than three decades, Sherri has worked as an instructional leader in two school districts on both ends of the student achievement continuum: a rural and low-income district (once identified by the state as requiring immediate improvement) and an affluent suburban district (recognized as being one of the best in the state). In both communities, she encountered students who demonstrated academic excellence with minimal assistance and those who needed extra support until they could independently navigate their academic journeys. Sherri is currently the Director of Instruction, Curriculum, and Assessment for the Brandon Valley School District in South Dakota. 

In her spare time, Sherri finds joy in connecting with educators nationwide and collaborating with them to develop plans for helping every student experience academic success. Ms. Nelson has contributed several articles and stories for educational publications and has presented on the topic of academic lifeguarding at schools and educational conferences throughout seventeen states.

Sherri and her husband are lifelong Minnesota Vikings football fans. They live in Brandon, South Dakota and enjoy traveling and recreating their favorite restaurant dishes when they return home. Their two daughters teach in the neighboring school district, just eight miles down the road.