Professional Learning Communities

Amanda Hathhorn, district math specialist and mentor for the Aspiring Instructional Coaching Academy at Pasadena ISD, has over 20 years of experience in education. Notably, she played a pivotal role in successfully implementing the Professional Learning Communities (PLC) at Work® process and subsequently earning a Model PLC at Work school distinction at V. W. Miller Intermediate.

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.

Sarah Hays, a seasoned educator with 30 years of experience, currently serves as the PLC Administrative Coach for the Bozeman School District. Sarah served as the principal of Emily Dickinson Elementary School in Bozeman, MT. She has also held various educational roles, including high school assistant principal, district curriculum director, and high school English and math teacher.

Utilizing their research-affirmed educator wellness framework, and their most recent book, Educator Wellness, Plan book, and Journal (2023), Boogren, Kanold, and Kullar help educators of all levels and backgrounds learn how to bring their very best selves to their students through the use of routines, invitations, and strategies that have a major impact on living a high energy, well-balanced daily decision-making life using practical tools for success. Come to this webinar ready to have fun, laugh, learn how to live your best life, and be inspired!

Kyle is the principal of Powell Middle School in Powell, Wyoming. Prior to administration, he was an elementary teacher where he developed the passion for professional learning communities and the power behind building a strong culture and teamwork in a school.

John Gaskell is a science educator with over 20 years of classroom, leadership, and professional learning community implementation experience nationally and internationally, having spent the past 12 years in Singapore.

In this session, we will explore how teams develop effective mathematics instruction using 6 elements of lesson design. The process of designing engaging, targeted, and high quality instruction allows teams to dig deeply into both best practices in mathematics and grow in content knowledge. Participants will leave with a set of tools and discussion protocols to enhance their instructional planning and teaching of mathematics.

The focus is to show how your urban school can make an impact on student achievement and change the trajectory of student lives using the time available during the day, the resources in the book, and the Brilliance in the Building - your amazing staff! The greatness of this webinar is the review of all the resources in the book available for educators to use immediately. I created all of the reproducibles based on 25 years of extensive research and actual use in schools. Leaders and staff in urban schools cannot do this work in isolation; they must work together to accomplish their goals, so therefore the work in this book is grounded in the PLC at Work principles. Let’s go!

Alvin Thomas, EdD, is a principal in a school district in Georgia and a part-time professor at Kennesaw State University and Georgia State University. He has 17 years of experience as an assistant principal, student behavior program specialist, and teacher.

Kristina Leckliter is an innovative educational leader who has served as an elementary teacher, instructional coach, reading specialist, and induction mentor specialist. She is also a professional learning community trainer for a Model Professional Learning Community at Work® district in Phoenix, Arizona.