Dr. Emily C. Alford, Ed.D spearheaded the effort to develop an innovative middle school program at Holy Family Catholic Academy.  The Academy’s program is founded on “best practices” for middle school students. The curriculum includes inquiry and service learning units, math and science curricula that emphasize problem-solving, and a social studies curriculum that provides meaningful, real-world issues. The inquiry learning units are also linked to issues of social justice. Dr. Alford also participated in developing Holy Family’s partnership with Harper College in which Holy Family purchased space and instructional support, a model never before done either at Harper or through any other middle school in the region.  

Dr. Alford’s background includes extensive experience in both elementary and secondary education, including 20 years as a principal in the public school system. Over the last 12 years, Dr. Alford has worked as a curriculum consultant focusing on developing inquiry-based teaching strategies and training thousands of teachers, from kindergarten through 12th grades throughout Illinois, to restructure existing curriculum topics in science, social studies, and mathematics as inquiry-based units.  

Dr. Alford earned her doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from Northern Illinois University.