Title: Educator (Retired)

Company: The New York City Department of Education

Location: Throggs Neck, NY

THROGGS NECK, NY, November 10, 2014, Joyce Winstead-Gaston, Retired Educator for The New York City Department of Education, has been recognized by Elite American Educators for dedication, achievements, and leadership in special education, and academic administration and instruction.

In her previous position, Ms. Winstead-Gaston was responsible for developing District 11 science curriculum for K-12 students, establishing various workshops, and mentoring new teachers on graduate courses and literacy skills. She specializes in the areas of leadership, literacy, academic administration and instruction, and foreign and bilingual program development. For more than two decades, Ms. Winstead-Gaston has made every effort to refine a sophisticated and versatile skill set in order to help children to get the education that they deserve. She now functions as a resource specialist and test coordinator, assists with operations of a summer internship program, and trains 200 incoming fellows.

She became involved in her profession because her mother has always enforced the importance of a good education. Also, when she and her sister were in junior high school, they cut school on a snowy day. When their father discovered that they were at home watching cartoons instead of being in school, their punishment was to clean every house in the neighborhood. He told them that this is what they would be doing for the rest of their lives if they didn’t get a good education. Her mother cleaned houses and worked as a school crossing guard. She later decided to go back to school at the age of 45 in order to demonstrate by example the importance of a good education.

At present, Ms. Winstead-Gaston stands strong as a second-generation college graduate. Inspired by the motivation instilled in her by her parents, she pursued a career path in education that has enabled her to instill in others a passion for learning. She has mentored teachers at P.S. 83 and taught science, Spanish and English literacy. Afterward, she joined the UFT Center, where she worked for six years as an MS for District 10. She then received an administrative degree and began her career in educational administration. She has also worked as a mentor for a fellows program in collaboration with Mercy College. She has been tutoring children and adults since 1986. She is currently tutoring a woman who has been struggling to obtain a GED. Ms. Winstead-Gaston has done public speaking on Professional Development. Still dedicated to the profession, she is looking forward to opening a school for girls, writing a book, traveling, and continuing to serve as an agent of positive change in her journey called life.

Contact Joyce Winstead-Gaston