Karen can help you with:

• Driving awareness around the Common Core State Standards, in particular Text Complexity and the importance of text-dependent questions
• Creating math plans to support students in need of intervention
• Understanding the need to translate ideas into actionable steps
• Building comprehensive professional development plans for districts

Dr. Karen Burke has served students for over 30 years as a classroom teacher, principal, Title I Director, NCLB Coordinator, and Curriculum Director, and as an Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Maine. Additionally, she has served as a Distinguished Educator for the Maine State Department of Education, and she taught undergraduate and graduate courses at Saint Joseph’s College in Maine for 23 years.

Karen believes that there are three ways to increase student achievement at scale: increase the level of knowledge and skill the teacher brings to the instruction process, increase the level and complexity of the content that students are asked to learn, and change the role of the student in the instructional practice from passive to active.

Karen received her bachelor degree in Elementary Education and Teacher of Spanish from the College of New Jersey; her two master’s degrees, one with a concentration in reading and the other with a concentration in mathematics, from the University of Southern Maine; her Certificate of Advanced Study for Administration from the University of Maine in Orono; and her doctorate from Nova Southeastern University.

Dr. Burke was the recipient of the Maine ASCD Educational Leader of the Year Award, Maine’s Literacy Award, and the Nova Southeastern Noreen Webber Child and Youth Studies Honor Award. She is currently an adjunct professor at Nova Southeastern University in Florida working with graduate students.

Mulugheta can help you with:

• Quantifying student achievement gaps
• Needs assessments and collaborative strategic planning
• School and academic improvement
• Professional development
• Charter school support

Mulugheta Teferi is a life long learner who draws upon thirty years of experience as a teacher, principal, district curriculum supervisor, and superintendent. He is based in St. Louis, Missouri, and travels nationally to help districts and schools quantify student achievement gaps, assess needs, and strategize collaboratively to develop comprehensive plans that support transitions to the Common Core State Standards.

Mulugheta started his career as a high school science teacher and department head. He then advanced to principal, district curriculum supervisor, executive director for the office of systemic reform, and chief academic officer for the largest district in the state of Missouri. In addition, he has served as chief of staff/assistant superintendent to oversee and develop plans for transformation in a smaller district taken over by the state, as a superintendent in a college prep academy, and as an adjunct instructor preparing preservice teachers at Harris-Stowe State University.

Mulugheta Teferi holds a BA from St. Louis University, an MA in Teaching Science from Webster University, and an EdS in Educational Administration from the University of Missouri, and he is currently finishing his dissertation for a doctorate in education leadership.

Tracy can help you with:

• Curriculum assessment and alignment
• Preparing for the Common Core State Standards
• Leadership development
• Teacher professional development

Dr. Tracy Weeden serves as a change agent and servant leader to forward-thinking organizations. She enjoys strategically planning with directors of curriculum and department managers for scalable teacher professional development on curriculum, instruction, and assessment tools.

Tracy began her professional journey in education as a high school English and theatre Arts teacher in Detroit, in the same inner-city high school she once attended.

She later served as a high school English and reading teacher in the Katy Independent School District (ISD), where she also piloted a successful GED program for district at-risk students. While Tracy was serving in Katy ISD, a door of opportunity opened for her to serve as a district recruiter. She was then promoted to Coordinator of Personnel Development, where she designed programs to recruit and retain administrators and teachers. Weeden gained campus-based leadership experience while serving as a middle school Assistant Principal of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, also in Katy ISD.

Most recently, Tracy served as Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, providing oversight for the development of curriculum support for the Early Childhood, English Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, Educational Technology, Fine Arts, Health, and Physical Education Departments for the Houston Independent School District, the seventh-largest urban district in the country.

Dr. Weeden completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Detroit Mercy and both her MAEd, Administration & Supervision and EdD in Administration & Supervision at the University of Houston. She has twin boys and a daughter she delights in rearing with her husband in Katy, TX.

April can help you with:

• Program implementation fidelity
• In-classroom support
• Instructional coaching to build effective teaching practices

April Croy is a former high school English teacher who offers extensive experience with the full suite of Scholastic literacy achievement offerings including READ 180, System 44, Expert 21, and English 3D. Her passion is assisting with instructional coaching and in-classroom support of teachers and leaders who strive to implement literacy programs with fidelity.

As an editor for READ 180 Next Generation, including the Teacher Dashboards, Assessments, and Reports, April drew from extensive on-the-ground experience and customer feedback. She also developed the coaching resources for READ 180 and System 44, and developed the Implementation Fidelity Reporting System (IFRS) to service districts seeking to monitor student progress toward bridging the literacy gap.

April holds bachelor degrees in Deaf Education and English Literature from Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL.

Bill can help you with:

• Leadership development
• Thought leadership and consulting
• In-person seminars
• Keynote presentations
• Executive coaching for senior-level leaders

Dr. Willard R. (Bill) Daggett is recognized worldwide for his proven ability to move education systems toward more rigorous and relevant skills and knowledge for all students. He has assisted a number of states and hundreds of school districts with their school improvement initiatives, many in response to No Child Left Behind and its demanding adequate yearly progress (AYP) provisions.

Before founding the International Center for Leadership in Education in 1991, Dr. Daggett was a teacher and administrator at the secondary and postsecondary levels, and a director with the New York State Education Department, where he spearheaded restructuring initiatives to focus the state’s education system on the skills and knowledge students need in a technological, information-based society.

Dr. Daggett has collaborated with education ministries in several countries, the Council of Chief State School Officers, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the National Governors Association, and many other national and global organizations.

Carol can help you with:

• Instructional leadership
• Program implementation fidelity
• Literacy intervention
• School turnaround support
• Special education instructional support

Dr. Carol Chanter has over 25 years of experience in the K–12 setting as a special and general educator and as a school and district administrator. She liaises with school and district leaders nation wide regarding best practices in program implementation, literacy intervention, and school turnaround.

Carol has authored and co-authored several articles on her areas of interest and expertise including general and special education, educational leadership, and secondary reading. She has presented at numerous conferences and has taught courses at the University of Central Florida in organization and administration of schools, contemporary issues in education, management of reading programs, and secondary reading.

Dr. Chanter earned her Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of Florida, her master’s in Learning and Behavior Disorders from the University of Kentucky, her Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership from Nova University, and her Doctorate in Educational Research, Technology, and Leadership from the University of Central Florida.

Denise can help you with:

• Program implementation fidelity
• In-classroom support
• Instructional coaching to build effective teaching practices
• Data-driven decision making

Denise Myers has worked in the educational technology field for over 16 years, and her areas of special interest include optimizing implementation of Scholastic’s reading intervention programs (READ 180, System 44, Expert 21) for struggling readers.

Denise oversees implementation services and support, including training and professional development, and currently manages a team of 50 implementation consultants and project managers who service Scholastic’s technology programs throughout the south central region. Additionally, Denise conducts site visits to audit implementation projects, deliver data analysis presentations, and make recommendations to current plans/programs.

Prior to her current role, Denise taught a variety of ESL, Adult Basic Education, and GED preparation classes.

Duncan can help you with:

• Comprehensive school improvement consultation and planning
• Needs assessment for academic performance improvement
• Change management advice and consultation

Duncan Young leads the Scholastic Achievement Partners professional services team of over 500 individuals providing professional development, school improvement, and program implementation support across the country.

Duncan particularly enjoys working collaboratively with district leaders to diagnose academic improvement challenges and create powerful, integrated plans to improve performance. He is consistently amazed by the creativity, passion, and ingenuity that are evident in our nation’s schools.

Duncan has had a non-traditional career, which he began as a US naval officer focused on meteorology and oceanography. He spent numerous years in the private sector as a management consultant with Bain & Company, specializing in working with organizations to develop plans for business change and transformation. He has spent seven years with Scholastic in a variety of roles, including oversight of the development, design, and launch of award-winning online instructional resource tools. Duncan has an undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina and a graduate degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Irving can help you with:

• Executive coaching
• Dropout prevention
• Developing teaching strategies that engage active learning

Dr. Irving Jones, a native son of New York City’s South Bronx, has spent thirty years in public education and is recognized as a national leader on topics of educational leadership.

Over the last 21 years, Dr. Jones has presented at international, national, state, and local conferences on topics including minority student achievement, dropout prevention, interdisciplinary instruction in secondary school, supervision of instruction, teaching strategies that engage active learning, career pathways, creating collaborative teaching and learning environments in schools, students transitioning from alternative placements, the transition of ninth graders into high school, and leadership in an age of accountability.

Dr. Jones received his Bachelor of Arts degree from William Penn College, Master of Education degree in Educational Administration from the University of Virginia, and doctoral degree in Educational Administration and Policy Studies from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

He has served on the African-American Teaching Fellows Board, the Martha Jefferson Hospital Leadership Board, the Thomas Jefferson Area United Way Board, and the Court-Appointed Special Advocate Board for Juvenile Offenders. Dr. Jones was selected as the 2002 Outstanding High School Principal for Virginia. In October 2002, Dr. Jones was named the 2003 NASSP/MetLife National Principal of the Year.

Jeanette can help you with:

• Needs assessments
• Creating professional learning plans
• Developing district-wide literacy plans

Jeanette Thomas’s 20+ years as a literacy professional development facilitator, consultant, teacher trainer, coach, curriculum writer, and adjunct professor come to bear in her comprehensive literacy program development, implementation, and evaluation efforts in districts nationwide.

Jeanette began her career as an elementary, middle school teacher and Grade 1–8 reading specialist. As a teacher supervisor, she coached and mentored new and veteran teachers in effective instruction and assessment practices, organizational skills, lesson planning, classroom management skills, and literacy professional development. After assisting with the writing of the Missouri Communication Arts Curriculum Framework for Grades K–12, she began to design and provide tailored literacy professional development for local school districts. Having gathered significant knowledge and understanding of current research and best practices in teaching and learning, Jeanette now leads the ICLE Education Partnerships team.

Jeanette has served as a leader and board member for organizations including the Missouri State Council of the International Reading Association, and is a presenter at national conferences. She has also served on the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) task force and as an Adjunct Professor at Missouri Baptist University.

Jeanette holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Lakeland College, a Master of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Toledo, and an Educational Administration Certification from Southwest Baptist University.

Joan can help you with:

• Program implementation fidelity
• In-classroom support
• Instructional coaching to build effective teaching practices

Dr. Joan Johnson began her career as a classroom teacher; a curriculum specialist for language arts, reading, and world languages; and a director of curriculum (K–12) for a large school district in Minnesota. In her curricular roles, she facilitated the development of language arts and reading programs for students in Grades 6–12, aligned district and state standards, monitored student progress, and taught ongoing professional development courses for teachers.

Later, Joan became a professor in the College of Education at Hamline University in St. Paul, MN. There she taught core and elective graduate courses leading to a master’s degree in education. Her areas of interest and expertise include reading and writing across the curriculum, educational leadership, and cognitive coaching.

Since joining Scholastic, Jane has mentored and trained a team of implementation consultants to deliver quality services, partnered with school leaders to implement Scholastic reading intervention products successfully, and coordinated the scheduling of services across ten states.

Joan graduated from the University of Minnesota with Bachelor of Science degrees in English/Language Arts and French Education. Later she completed a master’s degree in Second Languages and Cultures and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of St. Thomas.

Joe can help you with:

• Addressing school leadership and whole-school reform challenges
• Building-level instructional leadership
• Using data to drive academic decisions

Joe Shannon partners with state education agencies, districts, and schools to support school leadership, address whole-school reform, and help efforts to use data to drive academic decisions.

Joe has nearly 20 years of experience in public education. Prior to joining ICLE, he served as a middle school principal at Broadalbin-Perth Middle School in Broadalbin, NY. During his four-year tenure there, Joe embraced the middle-level school philosophy of striving to provide academic excellence to students, while being keenly aware of students’ developmental needs and being socially equitable to all students.

During his tenure as a school administrator, Joe was involved extensively in curriculum and staff development, character education, and whole-school reform. He also served as a regional liaison for the Statewide Network of Middle School Liaisons in New York. Joe is currently a member of the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform.

Jose can help you with:

• Increasing the level of rigor and relevance in classroom instruction
• Meeting the needs of all learners
• Developing district-wide ELL plans
• Aligning special education systems to improve student learning and achievement

Dr. Jose Ortiz is a life long educator who believes in setting and supporting high expectations for achievement for all learners. He has specialized training and expertise in bilingualism and bi-literacy, dual language immersion, and data-driven decision making.

Before becoming the Bilingual and ESL/ELL Programs Supervisor for New Haven (CT) Public Schools, Jose was the Principal of a K–5 Intra-district dual-language immersion magnet school. In addition to organizing all professional development for teachers, he improved leadership capacity at the building level and implemented and monitored the school improvement plan and NCLB initiatives.

As Associate Principal of a Connecticut middle school, Jose created the district-wide professional development plan for Grades 6–12 bilingual and core area teachers and engaged teachers in data-driven conversations which became the backbone of a strategy to advance academic achievement for all students. His career began in the classroom, teaching bilingual elementary and high school students across multiple content areas including math.

Dr. Ortiz received his undergraduate degree from the Catholic University of Puerto Rico and his MA in Education and PhD in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in bilingual/bicultural education from the University of Connecticut. He is on the board of the Connecticut Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Julie can help you with:

• Program implementation fidelity
• In-classroom support
• Instructional coaching to build effective teaching practices
• Education technology

Julie Bischoff strives to ensure program implementation achieves concrete, measurable results that meet customer-defined expectations and outcomes. She’s implemented instructional technology programs at district and school levels with fidelity. Framing her current work is 15 years of experience in English language learner and speech pathology teaching and coaching, with an emphasis on teacher effectiveness and network technology.

Julie began her career as a middle school teacher supporting English language learners and students with language delays in the areas of reading and language acquisition. Later, as a district-level Speech Language Pathologist in Osceola County, FL, Julie worked collaboratively with teachers to provide differentiated instruction and to develop centers, classroom activities, and independent work to support language development in Grades K–5.

Julie received her Bachelor of Science in Speech Language Pathology. She holds a Master of Science in Speech and Language Disorders from the University of Central Florida.

Paul can help you with:

• Leadership development
• Comprehensive school improvement
• Translating policy into actionable instructional improvement

Dr. Paul Ezen has dedicated his career to education leadership, mentoring programs, strategic planning, and comprehensive school improvement with a focus on high school redesign.

Throughout his 35 years in education, Paul has served as a principal, interim commissioner, and deputy commissioner for the New Hampshire Department of Education. As deputy commissioner, Paul helped to develop a new state assessment that aligned with the standards set forth in No Child Left Behind. He also contributed to the development of the New Hampshire Approval Standards.

During Paul’s 15 years at Kearsarge Regional High School in North Sutton, NH, he played an integral role in a major school-to-career initiative and oversaw a $7 million building addition and renovation program. During his tenure, the school went from having only 10 computers for student use to more than 180.

Paul was named New Hampshire High School Principal of the Year in 1999–2000.

Ray can help you with:

• Leadership development
• In-person seminars
• Keynote presentations
• Thought leadership and consulting
• Executive coaching for senior-level leaders

Ray McNulty is a frequent presenter at the state, national, and international levels on the need for school systems to accept the challenges that lie ahead. He is committed to raising performance standards for both teachers and students and to building solid connections between schools and their communities. Ray believes strongly that education systems cannot wait for the children and challenges to arrive at school; rather, schools need to reach out and help forge solutions.

Prior to joining ICLE, he was a senior fellow at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he worked with leading educators from around the country on improving our nation’s high schools. Ray also is a past president of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD).

An educator since 1973, Ray has been a teacher, vice principal, principal, and superintendent. From 2001–2003, he served as Vermont’s education commissioner. During his tenure, Ray focused on aligning the Department of Education’s work on three key issues: early education, educator quality, and secondary school reform.

Ray is the author of It’s Not Us Against Them—Creating the Schools We Need.

Tammy can help you with:

• Program implementation fidelity
• English language learner instructional support
• Instructional coaching to build effective teaching practices

Tammy Ledenko began her career as an educator in Ohio, serving as a classroom teacher, Title 1 Reading teacher, Reading Recovery teacher, and literacy coordinator. As literacy coordinator, she taught ongoing professional development courses in which she trained and coached teachers and administrators on the components of an effective comprehensive reading program. In collaboration with the Ohio Department of Education, Tammy has instructed state-sponsored professional development classes and served as a Reading First Ohio expert panel member.

After joining Scholastic as a Reading Specialist eight years ago, Tammy now serves as Director of Implementation in the Central Region. In this role, Tammy has mentored and trained a team of implementation consultants to ensure the delivery of quality services and developed numerous district program implementation solutions.

Tammy is a National Board Certified Teacher with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from the University of Toledo and a Master’s degree in Reading from Youngstown State University.

Tasia can help you with:

• Program implementation fidelity
• In-classroom support
• Instructional coaching to build effective teaching practices
• California-specific intervention best practices

Tasia Velasquez has more than 30 years of progressively responsible experiences encompassing all aspects of promoting educational excellence in Grades K–12. As an expert in curriculum development and instruction, she has focused her career on curriculum-based training and professional development to meet the specific needs of teachers, students, and district leaders.

Tasia has served on a multitude of state and local committees. She’s a member of the California State Department Language Arts Adoption, Reading Instruction Curriculum Assessment committee, has served on the California State Reading Initiatives, and was appointed to serve as a member of the Burbank School Board.

Ms. Velasquez has earned degrees in Education, the California K–8 Life Credential, and a Reading Specialist Certification from California State University at Los Angeles.

Mike can help you with:

• Formative assessment for driving math instruction
• Creation and implementation of strategic, district-wide, math improvement plans
• Transition to Common Core State
• Standards for Mathematics
• Instructional coaching to build effective math teaching practices

Mike Gould has provided K–12 professional development for district-level administrators, school-based math leadership teams and teachers across the country for 30 years. Mike began his career teaching junior high and senior high school mathematics. As the Roseburg, Oregon District Math Specialist, he worked directly with the Oregon Department of Education designing state-wide open-ended assessment tasks and was the lead trainer for scoring student work.

Mike received The Oscar Schaaf Secondary Mathematics Education Award for years of service in the area of improving mathematics education in Oregon. He has been a speaker at many regional and national math conferences and an instructor for the National Science Foundation. Mike has been a board member of the Oregon Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the State Representative for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), and is a member of the Professional Development Service Committee for NCTM.

Mike graduated with honors from California State University of Chico with a BS in Mathematics. He has completed graduate work in mathematics at the University of Oregon, Oregon State University, and The Ohio State University.

Lisa can help you with:

• Creation and implementation of strategic, district-wide, math improvement plans
• Design and facilitation of professional development and coaching plans
• Transition to Common Core State Standards for Mathematics
• Curriculum review and adoption

Lisa Rogers provides guidance, support, and professional development to K-8 mathematics teachers, coaches, school-based math leadership teams, and administrators as they implement new instructional strategies and curricula. She collaborates with district and school hosts to align support with resources, standards, assessments, and instructional improvement plans. Lisa facilitates teacher development and learning through lesson observation cycles and instructional planning that addresses how children best learn math content. Most recently, Lisa has managed partnership projects with Community District 6 in New York City; math coaches in East Baton Rouge, Louisiana; teachers in Dayton, Ohio; and schools in Landover, Maryland.

Lisa brings to her work more than nine years of experience as a mathematics educator in Indianapolis Public Schools in Indiana and Lee County Public Schools in Fort Myers, Florida.

She has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Ball State University and is a frequent speaker and presenter at national conferences. Lisa was named the 2001–2002 Math Teacher of the Year in the Lee County School District, Florida.

Jim can help you with:

• Common Core State Standards readiness & awareness
• In-person seminars & keynote presentations
• Leadership development

Jim Warford’s unique combination of educational, business, and creative experience allows him to translate his vision and passion for school improvement into well executed, systemic changes resulting in dramatic increases in student performance.

Jim currently serves as Senior Advisor and Keynote Speaker for the International Center for Leadership in Education, working with states, districts, and schools nationwide. Previously, he was Executive Director of the Florida Association of School Administrators for five years, representing over 10,000 school leaders.

In early 2003, Jim was appointed as Florida’s first-ever Chancellor for public schools, where he was responsible for the $16 billion public school budget and for focusing every bureau within the Department of Education on the goal of raising student achievement. He created and implemented Florida’s Continuous Improvement Model used by the Assistance Plus program, the largest state intervention in low-performing schools in the nation, which resulted in over 80% of these schools moving off the list of failing schools.

As Superintendent of the Marion County Public Schools, Jim implemented the Continuous Improvement Model district-wide. As a result, school grades went from three “F,” eight “D,” and only one “A” school in 1999 to 20 “A,” 16 “B,” and no “F” schools in 2003. Under his leadership the high school dropout rate was cut almost in half, and Marion County had the lowest elementary class size in Florida.

Jim was named Vanguard High School Teacher of the Year three times. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership.