Ward is an innovative instructional leader who encourages teamwork and camaraderie. Staunchly dedicated to shaping young minds, Ward is also a firm believer in educators continually nourishing their own minds in order to nourish others. As a former first-grade teacher at Delhi, Ward’s classroom was a safe, theme-centered environment for children with frogs everywhere—a first grader’s dream. Among her creative communication tools was the FROG book, which leapfrogged with students from school to home and back, allowing parents to track their children’s progress and stay on top of assignments and activities. Ward was known for her attention to student data as a vehicle to monitor and guide future learning.