Professional Learning Communities at Work®

Beth Houf is principal of Fulton Middle School in central Missouri. Under her leadership, Fulton was recognized in 2019 as a Missouri Exemplary Professional Learning Community and a Model PLC.

Chad M. V. Dumas, EdD, focuses primarily on collaborating to develop capacity for continuous improvement. An international educational presenter and award-winning researcher, he has led nationally recognized improvements for both students and staff.

Danieli Parker is director of innovation and instructional technology for Hallsville ISD in Texas. With more than 18 years of education experience, she has served as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, principal, and director.

Eric Burns is the principal at Lynn Lucas Middle School for Willis ISD in Willis, Texas. His focus is coaching collaborative teams through the PLC process and designing effective RTI systems to monitor student performance. He has received accolades including being named Hardy Elementary’s Teacher of the Year in 2012 and Willis Independent School District's Principal of the Year in 2020.

Richard K. Cohen is Chief Academic Officer for secondary education at Edison Township Public Schools in New Jersey. He is a former assistant superintendent and principal of Moss School (PreK and Kindergarten) in the Metuchen School District in New Jersey. He serves as faculty for Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and he is a former principal of Red Bank Primary School in New Jersey.

Singletons—teachers who are the only ones teaching a specific course or subject—often ask how they can effectively participate on a collaborative team. Additionally, leaders frequently ask what they should be doing to guide and support singletons. This webinar provides participants clear direction to help singletons engage in meaningful collaboration. Teachers and leaders receive templates they can implement immediately.

Maria Espinoza, EdM, is the principal of Freeport Elementary in Freeport, Texas. With 17 years of experience, she specializes in early childhood education and implementing the professional learning community process to help underperforming schools.

Explore how teacher teams can ensure equitable literacy learning so that every student masters essential reading standards. Jacqueline Heller and Paula Maeker, authors of Literacy in a PLC at Work®: Guiding Teams to Get Going and Get Better in K–6 Reading, will help literacy educators navigate the teaching, learning, assessment, and feedback cycle of reading through the lens of Professional Learning Communities (PLC) at Work.

As educators and leaders across the nation grapple with the challenge of changing policies, practices, and procedures to ensure high levels of learning for all students, the inability to effectively change the mindsets of colleagues, faculty, and staff is proving to be the biggest hurdle of all. Hence, in order for systems to change, outlooks will also need to change.

Aaron Hansen is an expert in Professional Learning Communities (PLC), Response to Intervention (RTI) and student empowerment. He is a highly sought-after international speaker, strategic consultant, coach, and author.