Shaudé Tyson, PS 262, Brooklyn

In order to put students first, Shaudé Tyson knows that developing and retaining excellent educators is a must. That’s why, besides her work as the chapter leader at PS 262 in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, Tyson focuses much of her energies on mentoring new teachers despite having an incredibly full plate.

“It’s a deeply personal mission for me,” Tyson said. “It’s how we build real capacity and stability so our schools can thrive.”

Tyson, a 3rd-grade special education teacher in an integrated co-teaching classroom at the PROSE school, is a facilitator of a teacher retention initiative and lead teacher mentor. The 12-year veteran also is a District 16 Early Career Teacher Cohort facilitator, a District 16 Educator Ambassador Program fellow and a New York City Ed Prep mentor.

Charline Setrana, who is in her second year of teaching a 2nd- and 3rd-grade self-contained class, arrived at PS 262 after spending much of her 10-year career in charter schools. She’s a product of Tyson’s special touch.

“Ms. Tyson has been pivotal in my transition to working for the DOE,” Setrana said. “As a fellow special education teacher, her advice in special education techniques and IEP documentation has been so helpful. I still go to her for mentorship. She always checks in on me personally and professionally.”

Supporting newer teachers like Setrana is key, Tyson said.

“To truly put students first, we have to remember that when teachers feel heard, they feel invested,” Tyson said. “When they feel invested, they stay, and when they stay, students succeed.”

Tyson’s own students have found success under her guidance as well. Two years ago, her work with the District 16 Customization Team — exploring how the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt curriculum could best suit students ­— helped her guide her students to earning the district’s top state ELA and math scores.

And those are far from Tyson’s only accomplishments.

Last year, Tyson’s lesson-planning skills earned her a Big Apple Award, for which she was chosen to be a panelist at New Teacher Week last September.

Her list of union and school leadership engagements also is extensive: she’s a UFT Artificial Intelligence Ambassador, a UFT Educator Academy member, an AFT Teacher Leader, a member of PS 262’s hiring team, chair of the school leadership team and the school’s garden committee, and she is her school’s food and nutrition liaison. She also serves on a district committee building family partnerships, for which she pens a monthly newsletter.

“Shaudé’s ability to manage so many responsibilities while still remaining fully present and supportive to students and staff is so impressive,” occupational therapist Shariah Lee said.

School psychologist Makel Lynch, a former PS 262 colleague who now works at Brooklyn’s MS 35 and the Brooklyn Brownstone School, equally marvels at Tyson’s “ability to give 100%” to everything she takes on. “That she accepts most of these roles voluntarily shows her passion and dedication for education.”

“I just find a way” to make it all work, said Tyson. “Anything I can do to provide experiences for students is what I specialize in.”