Professional Learning Communities

Educator Kelli Fuller serves as an instructional facilitator focusing on building teacher capacity and increasing student success through professional learning, data-driven instruction, and the implementation of PLC processes.

Kendra Bell, PhD, retired from Peoria Unified School District in Arizona in 2022 after serving as chief academic officer for the district. Throughout her career, Dr. Bell has emphasized the importance of continual improvement through professional learning communities.

Dr. Sanchioni serves as the superintendent of the Tiverton Public Schools in Tiverton, Rhode Island. He has a wide array of educational experiences including serving as the superintendent in Natick, Massachusetts (10 years) and in Millis, Massachusetts (three years). In addition, Dr. Sanchioni served as a principal for 10 years.

Dr. Tami Williams currently serves as an assistant professor in the educational leadership department at the University of Nebraska Omaha.

Brad Rogers is currently the principal at Cadott Elementary School in Wisconsin. He has been an educator for 28 years and specializes in helping schools implement collaborative processes that lead to high levels of learning.

Rob J. Meyer, EdD, is an experienced educator currently serving as the director of secondary teaching and learning at Monona Grove School District in Wisconsin. With over 20 years in education, he previously served as a teacher of social studies, an assistant principal at the secondary level, a principal at the primary level, and a 4K–12 C&I director.

Katie Kreimer Hall, EdD, is the supervisor of curriculum and professional development for Fort Smith Public Schools. Previously an administrator in high-poverty schools, she is passionate about building self-efficacy in teachers through the professional learning community process to increase student achievement.

Cathy Padilla has served as an elementary education teacher, assistant principal, and principal at the intermediate and elementary levels. She specializes in developing and supporting leaders in professional learning communities, family engagement, categorical programs, migrant education, and English language development.

Andrea Thompson is the principal of Shell Lake Middle/High School in Shell Lake, Wisconsin, and has previously served as a director of curriculum and instruction, district assessment coordinator, summer program coordinator, and gifted and talented coordinator.

ChatGPT—one of the most valuable technology tools for teachers and learners—became widely available in the fall of 2022. Since then, artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT have taken education by storm. Teachers are using these tools to create new content, differentiate their instruction, identify strategies for teaching and reteaching concepts to their students, and work more efficiently and effectively. Just as important, students are using these tools to improve their understanding of complex ideas, identify new paths of learning in their areas of personal interest, and receive targeted feedback on their work. Because AI tools are changing how we work and learn, classroom teachers must reflect on their potential and understand their limitations.