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Clara Sale-Davis

Clara Sale-Davis takes no excuses for low performance, and she sets an inspiring example for all students, noting that “all means all.” Born, raised, and educated in Texas, she worked in the Brazosport Independent School District in Freeport for 32 years.

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Clara Sale-Davis

Clara Sale-Davis takes no excuses for low performance, and she sets an inspiring example for all students, noting that “all means all.” Born, raised, and educated in Texas, she worked in the Brazosport Independent School District in Freeport for 32 years.

Clara began her career as a classroom teacher at Jane Long Elementary in Freeport, Texas. Six years later, she became an assistant principal at Velasco Elementary. She then accepted a position as principal of O.A. Fleming Elementary, where she remained for three years. Her demonstrated leadership caught the attention of the superintendent, who appointed her principal of Freeport Intermediate Schools. She served as principal of both schools, O.A. Fleming and FIS, for one year and then became the principal for Freeport Intermediate School exclusively. With Clara’s spirit of collaboration and her skill of dispersed leadership, FIS evolved from a low-performing school to one that has commanded nationwide attention and has earned such awards as the National Blue Ribbon Award (2002). In addition, FIS was chosen by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform as one of four schools in the nation to be a “National School to Watch.”

The best practices that define Freeport Intermediate are featured in Breaking Ranks in the Middle from the National Association of Secondary School Principals, Closing the Achievement Gap: No Excuses from the American Productivity & Quality Center, and Whatever It Takes by Richard DuFour. The success of Freeport Intermediate was reflective of Clara’s determination to do whatever it takes to help students achieve. Her approach demonstrated the strategies defined in the Professional Learning Communities (PLC) at Work® model. Freeport Intermediate continues to be a Model PLC at Work School.

In addition to her school’s accolades, Clara holds numerous professional distinctions. She served on the panel for the American Institute for Research in Washington, DC, and on the Advisory Committee on Education. She was awarded Region IV Principal of the Year (1997–1998), and she also received the Texas Alpha Delta Kappa Excellence in Education award. These accomplishments were noticed by the Public Education Foundation in 2007, a nonprofit reform support organization that provides leadership development, family involvement, and teacher quality programs in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Clara served as the public education foundation director for the Benwood Initiative, a collaborative reform effort between the Public Education Foundation, Hamilton County Schools, and the Benwood Foundation in Chattanooga, Tennessee for six years. Later, she served as a consultant for Metro Nashville Public Schools. She moved back to Texas and became the executive director for curriculum and instruction for the Pasadena Independent School District, and finally returned “home” to Brazosport ISD to serve as the chief academic improvement officer. Brazosport ISD holds the title of being a Model PLC at Work District. Clara continues to serve as an associate for Solution Tree full-time to assist and support school leaders across the country in moving students from proficient to advanced. Her passion is working with struggling school teams to create a professional learning community blueprint for continuous growth to improve the academic achievement of all students.


Priority Schools in a PLC at Work®

Hand-selected and trained by PLC at Work champions our Priority Schools in a PLC at Work experts have proven success in leading the PLC at Work process and have specific experience with the unique challenges that face schools labeled as low performing. Work with them to identify and prioritize critical areas of growth to implement changes in a timely manner with a focus on student achievement.

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PLC at Work®

PLC at Work® experts have proven success in leading the PLC at Work process in a school or district. Work with them to implement a focus on learning, build a collaborative culture, and create a results orientation that leads to sustained, substantive school improvement.

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Presentations by Clara Sale-Davis

The Journey

“She is delightful and has a genuine approach that is motivating. I would have her present this 10 times out of 10.”

Cindy Hester, principal, York Chester Middle School, North Carolina

“I think your energy and ideas were so relevant and wonderful. You really have motivated me and my team.”

Melissa Emerson, principal, Washington Middle School, New York