Maria Nielsen

Maria Nielsen

Maria Nielsen, consultant and author, specializes in supporting teachers and administrators in the areas of PLCs, RTI, school culture, curriculum design, the highly engaged classroom, and assessment systems. Her life’s work is to help schools build successful systems to ensure high levels of student learning.

Maria has more than 30 years’ experience as a teacher and administrator at the elementary, middle, and high school levels in Utah. As a principal, Maria helped Millville Elementary earn state and national recognition as a high-progress, high-achievement Title I school. Solution Tree named the school a national model PLC in 2012.

Maria was named the 2007 Utah Behavior Initiatives Principal of the Year. In 2010, she received the distinguished Huntsman Award for Excellence in Education.

Assessment Center

Assessment Center experts have proven success in developing and implementing sustainable assessment practices that garner hope through achievement. Work with them to create assessment systems that provide accurate, meaningful, and actionable information to drive student learning.

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Common Core

Common Core experts will work with you to ensure you have the capacity and know-how to embed the standards throughout your practice. Work with them to unpack standards and align instruction and assessment practices to the Common Core standards across content areas.

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Priority Schools in a PLC at Work®

Hand-selected and trained by PLC at Work champions our Priority Schools in a PLC at Work experts have proven success in leading the PLC at Work process and have specific experience with the unique challenges that face schools labeled as low performing. Work with them to identify and prioritize critical areas of growth to implement changes in a timely manner with a focus on student achievement.

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PLC at Work®

Richard DuFour, Robert Eaker, Rebecca DuFour, Mike Mattos, Anthony Muhammad, and Tim Brown, the champions of PLC at Work, are among the foremost authorities on applying PLC principles in the real world of schools. They consult with state departments, professional organizations, and school districts worldwide on strategies for improving schools.

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RTI at Work™

RTI at Work experts focus on learning for all students and will empower you to build your own timely, targeted, and systematic intervention program. Work with them to implement a results-driven program that provides targeted instruction at all tiers of intervention.

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Transforming School Culture

Transforming School Culture experts will help you examine the assumptions, beliefs, expectations, and habits that comprise your school’s culture, to ensure a productive and functional environment. Work with our experts to develop the ability to properly respond to challenges and adversity.

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Unstoppable Learning

Unstoppable Learning experts have deep expertise in instructional practices that lead to student achievement. Work with them on topics like academic vocabulary, close reading, gradual release of responsibility, and other practices that directly increase teacher effectiveness in the classroom.

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Presentation titles by Maria Nielsen

• Uncommon Common Assessments
• Positive Behavior Support Systems for Students
• What Is a Professional Learning Community?
• Engage Their Brains: Engagement Strategies for Student Learning
• Culture as the Foundation

“I appreciate Maria's passion and enthusiasm. We are lucky to have her at our school.”

“Our day with Maria was wonderful. Because of her experience from K–12, she was able to speak to every one of our teachers. She poured her passion and wisdom on us every moment of the day. It was a huge success.”