Joseph Bolz
Candidate for Director – High School
Position
Mathematics Teacher, Department Chair, Instructional Coach, George Washington High School, Denver, Colorado (2013-Present)
Education
Ph.D. (Curriculum and Instruction) University of Denver; M.A (Educational Leadership), Aurora University; B.A (Mathematics), University of Illinois
Previous Experience
Mathematics Teacher, The Academy, Westminster, Colorado (2010-2013); Mathematics Teacher, Waubonsie Valley High School, Aurora, Illinois (2001-2009)
Professional Memberships
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM); Colorado Council for Teachers of Mathematics (CCTM); National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM)
Leadership Experiences in Mathematics Education
Treasurer (2019-Present), CCTM; Classroom Resources Committee Member (2022-Present), NCTM
Publications
Author, The dual role of a teacher and teacher leader: An auto-educational criticism examination (2022); Co-Author, Be the change; Re-ignite student’s passion for problem solving and mathematics (2019); Author, The teacher factor, (2016); Co-Author, The legacy continues: “The test” and denying access to a challenging mathematics education for historically marginalized students (2016); Co-Author, Student assessment in an era of accountability (2015); Author, Math-magic (2015)
Honors
Distinguished Secondary Teacher Finalist (Northwestern University), 2022; Teacher of the Year (CCTM), 2020; National Board-Certified Teacher (NBPTS), 2009, 2019; Distinguished Teacher (Denver Public Schools) 2016-Present; Most Outstanding Teacher Mentor (Denver Public Schools), 2015
Statement
As a member of NCTM’s Board of Directors, I hope to champion efforts to help teachers build their community. With your support, I hope to make these plans a reality. Teachers need a supportive community, which can be created by helping them engage with affiliates, providing local workshops, and collectively working on ways to recruit and retain teachers, especially teachers of color. With the growing demands on our teachers, we must find new and innovative ways to support them.
A major challenge facing the entire educational community is the spread of disinformation and misinformation - both regarding our world as well as the field of education. NCTM should have a strong role in addressing these issues, proactively providing accurate and complete information supporting intelligent and productive discourse that ultimately effects change.
I believe my years of diverse experiences will greatly contribute to my service as a Board member. As a math leader, I understand how to convert a vision into reality. As an instructional coach, I understand how to help others and guide meaningful change. As an experienced teacher, I understand the challenges of the profession. As treasurer for my affiliate, I have learned about fiscal challenges, the intricacies of hosting large conferences, and the value of partnering with other institutions. As a member of NCTM’s CRC, I have learned much about the organization and how to navigate the vast volunteer network that makes it run so well.
Finally, as a teacher in the state of Colorado, I look forward to hosting the 2026 Annual Meeting in Denver, and hope to bring a much-needed geographic representation to the Board. I hope you will elect me to serve as a 2024 Board of Directors member.