Staff

Tracie Upton is a Lakeland native. Growing up she attended Crystal Lake Elementary, Crystal Lake Middle School, and graduated from Lakeland High School in 1999. She watched her father, grandfather, and grandmother, influence and shape the lives of children. While they focused on middle and high school, Ms. Upton’s calling was elementary education. While being a single mother, she attended school at University of North Florida, and received her Bachelors of Science in Elementary Ed in 2005. She first came to Kathleen Elementary as a Kindergarten intern in 2005. Upon graduation she went on to teach 2nd grade at Wendall Watson in 2006. In the fall of 2006 she was back at Kathleen teaching 1st and 2nd grades from 2006-2010. In 2010 she decided to move into a more administrative role because she recognized she had a gift to find the talents within all and help them achieve their full potential. Ms. Upton leads with a positive appreciative approach that highlights peoples’ strengths. She saw an opportunity to support and influence both teachers and students alike aligning her talents with her passion. She became the Math Coach at Kathleen from 2010-2015. During that time she received her Masters in Educational Leadership at University of South Florida graduating in 2012. In 2015 she went on to become a District math coach supporting 18 different schools over the course of 2 years. In her role she mainly worked with instructional coaches and mathematics teachers in grades K-5. Ms. Upton has also worked for the Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas, as a trainer of Common Core State standards for the Department of Defense Education Activity, training military teachers about new math standards. Her most recent position was as Assistant Principal at R. Wagner from 2017-2022, working with 60+ teachers. While serving at Wagner she helped transform the STEM program from a selective one to an inclusive program accessible to all enrolled students. She supported teacher leaders to run a garden and 4-H club even bringing home baby chicks when duty called! This past summer she visited the Beacon of Hope school in Nairobi, Kenya, which focuses on educating the whole child, meeting all their needs including but not limited to education, shelter, food security, and mental health. She is excited to be returning to Kathleen where her teaching career began. She and her daughter, who is a KES and Polk County high school graduate live in North Lakeland. This quote sums up her lifelong passion for teaching and educational approach best, “Love them first, teach them Second.” -Ellen Jones, former Kathleen Elementary Teacher

Megan Long was born and raised in Tampa, FL. From a young age she always wanted to be a teacher, constantly playing school with her sister and her friends. She attended University of North Florida where she met her husband, Chris, and received her Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education in 2010. Upon graduation, she started her teaching career in Jacksonville, FL in a 5th-grade classroom. During her first year, she developed a passion for reading and began pursuing her Masters in Reading. She graduated from UNF again in 2013, this time with a Masters in Reading. After teaching 5th grade in Jacksonville for 5 years, her husband’s job moved their family to Lakeland, FL. In October 2015, she took a teaching position at Cleveland Court Elementary where she taught until 2019. During this time, she found she enjoyed learning more about the leadership side of education. She received her Master in Educational leadership from Southeastern University in 2018. Her most recent position was as an intermediate reading coach at Wendell Watson Elementary from 2019-2023. She is excited to begin her administrative career at Kathleen and serve the community in which she, her husband, and two children live. Mrs. Long strives to be a servant leader by sharing and delegating responsibilities, putting others and their needs first, and helping people develop and perform as highly as possible. Mrs. Long is looking forward to a great at Kathleen Elementary School.