Professional Learning Communities at Work®

Cassandra Erkens is the author of eight books with more currently in progress, as well as chapters in several anthologies. Additionally, she is a facilitator, a trainer of trainers, an educator, and a coach. Her work focuses on educational topics, including assessment, instruction, leadership, school improvement, and professional learning communities.

Eric Twadell, PhD, is superintendent of Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois. He has been a social studies teacher, curriculum director, and assistant superintendent for leadership and organizational development.

Heather Friziellie is currently superintendent of schools for Fox Lake Grade School District 114, located in the suburbs northwest of Chicago. She previously served as both an elementary principal and a middle school principal.

Jeanne Spiller is assistant superintendent for teaching and learning for Kildeer Countryside District 96 in Illinois. Her work focuses on implementation of the Common Core State Standards.

Kim Bailey is former director of professional development and instructional support for the Capistrano Unified School District in California. She also served as an adjunct faculty member at Chapman University in California.

Maria Nielsen, educational speaker 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.

Sarah Schuhl specializes in professional learning communities, mathematics, assessment, school improvement, and RTI. She has been a secondary mathematics teacher, high school instructional coach, and K–12 mathematics specialist.

As an author and a leader in the field, Sharon V. Kramer, PhD, emphasizes the importance of creating and using quality assessments as a continual part of the learning process. Dr. Kramer served as assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction of Kildeer Countryside School District 96 in Illinois.

Tim Brown, a consultant, has 30 years of experience in education. As principal of elementary, middle, and high schools in Missouri, he led each to become a successful professional learning community.

Troy Gobble is principal of Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Illinois. He previously served as assistant principal for teaching and learning at Stevenson.