Title: Math Curriculum Specialist
Company: St. Louis Public Schools
Location: St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Rashida Squalls Chatman, MEd, math curriculum specialist at St. Louis Public Schools, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements, and leadership in STEM education.
For nearly 10 years, Ms. Chatman has built an esteemed reputation in the field of education in the St. Louis area. Her journey began in 2016 as a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) teacher at BKG Pamoja Preparatory Academy @ Cole. BKG Pamoja is one of 16 St. Louis public schools named in honor of Black historical figures—specifically, Richard Hill Cole and Bertha Knox Gilkey. In 2011, this location was designated as an African-centered school. During her time at BKG Pamoja, Ms. Chatman taught math, science, life skills, social studies and English language arts. She contributed to classrooms ranging from kindergarten to eighth grade.
Building on those initial teaching experiences, Ms. Chatman stepped into the role of a general consultant teacher for St. Louis Public Schools in 2023. The next year, she shifted into her current position as a math curriculum specialist for the district. Ms. Chatman’s responsibilities include developing a math curriculum that can be utilized by all of the city’s public schools. She encourages the concrete-representational-abstract methodology, a framework for teaching math that introduces students to the fundamentals of math in steps. Ms. Chatman also collaborates with teachers across the district. She aids in professional development and classroom management, helping to ensure a strong learning environment.
Prior to embarking upon her professional journey, Ms. Chatman invested in a solid foundation for her future. She obtained a premed Bachelor of Arts in biology from Fisk University in 2008. Subsequently, Ms. Chatman earned a Master of Education in elementary education and STEM from the University of Missouri-St. Louis in 2021. She was certified as a career continuous professional in elementary education by the Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education in 2016.
Ms. Chatman has garnered several awards throughout the course of her career. Most notably, she was a finalist for the Loeb Prize from the St. Louis Science Center in 2020, a reflection of her capabilities in teaching STEM subjects. In 2023, Ms. Chatman was named Secondary Mathematics Educator of the Year and overall Educator of the Year by St. Louis Public Schools. The following year, she was a finalist for America’s Favorite Teacher. She considers these accolades to be the highlights of her career, representing her deep commitment to her work.
When considering her greatest achievement thus far, Ms. Chatman recalls her experience working with a “loop” class at BKG Pamoja Preparatory Academy. As part of a loop, she taught the same group of students continuously from third through sixth grade. Through this experience, Ms. Chatman was able to witness the personal and academic growth of her classroom over formative years while establishing deep connections with the students. She has continued to stay in touch with many of those students as they have entered adulthood.
Looking to the future, Ms. Chatman aims to further solidify her credentials by pursuing a doctorate. She plans to begin her doctoral studies in the spring of 2026. With aspirations stretching even further ahead, Ms. Chatman envisions one day opening her own boarding school built from the ground up to support students with difficult home environments. She finds great fulfillment in offering stability to children who may not be able to find it elsewhere in their lives, and she looks forward to finding new ways to provide that to more students in the years ahead.
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