Professional Learning Communities

Build and sustain a strong, collaborative professional learning community. This unique Portable Event Package brings together some of the brightest, most respected minds in education. You'll hear dynamic keynotes and watch powerful breakouts designed to help infuse the PLC at Work® process into every aspect of your school or district.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, educators face an unprecedented challenge: how to close the learning gaps created by months of school closures and uneven access to virtual learning opportunities? In this breakout, Mike Mattos will discuss specific steps that schools can take to create a highly effective, multitiered system of supports to target learning gaps using the PLC at Work® process.

Jerrod Dastrup is the principal at Arrowhead Elementary School in Santa Clara, Utah. He is passionate about the Professional Learning Communities (PLC) at Work® process and specializes in motivating and supporting teachers and administrators in the areas of PLC, response to intervention (RTI), school culture, and data analysis.

Theodore Goergen, EdD, is the director of student activities at the award-winning Adlai E. Stevenson High School. A practitioner for nearly 20 years, he has served as a middle school and high school science teacher as well as a curriculum team leader.

Karly Ward is an experienced educational leader with over 17 years in teaching and administration. She specializes in visionary leadership, sustaining a healthy school environment, and ensuring system fidelity.

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.

Keri Rathbun, EdD, is the director of Coordinated School Health and Career Counseling for Fort Smith Public Schools, Arkansas. She has worked in education for more than 20 years and served as an administrator at the middle and high school levels.

Jennifer Dickson is an educator and presenter with a passion for working with preK–5 educators to ensure all students learn at high levels. With more than 25 years of experience in public school education, she loves to work with teams all over the country to implement and improve professional learning community practices.

Blake Clark brings a wealth of experience from various educational settings, including schools, districts, and charter schools across North America. He is a firm believer that schools can achieve their fullest potential through collaborative efforts centered on intentional learning.

Kimber Fessler serves as the principal of Clark Elementary in Evanston, Wyoming. An educator for nearly 20 years, she has experience in classroom teaching both primary and intermediate grades, instructional coaching (K–6), and administration.