Conversation #34 was with a long-time partner in the work. I have know Michael Comella, the Assistant Superintendent for Chariho Regional School District, since he was a building principal working to bring new classroom models into Providence schools. Mike is as real as they get. He does the work without ego, focusing on how his role can create better learning environments & experiences for educators and students.

"We believe that teachers learn best from one another, especially from those with practical expertise. We operationalize this approach through our union/district learning committee collaboration. I share the professional learning agenda with this group to ensure a common understanding and provide opportunity for educator input.

Additionally, our contract includes an Academic Fellow position, which allows us flexibility to address specific needs. Pre-COVID, this role focused on personalized learning. More recently, the Fellow has been instrumental in supporting literacy and our MTSS implementation. We’re in the process of a full MTSS rollout, utilizing asynchronous resources from BRIDGE-RI with principals facilitating overview trainings within their own schools.

To maximize professional learning impact we sometimes need to lean on external expertise, especially for our High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) implementation. We have strategically partnered with external vendors for embedded PD, ongoing observation, feedback, and coaching. Our math curriculum providers, like i-Ready, have been particularly effective, transitioning from occasional school visits to engaging in more in-depth coaching cycles with teachers.

On the social emotional learning (SEL) front, we have leveraged the expertise of our Director of Development & Sustainability, who also serves as a grant writer. Their success securing significant grant funding over the past several years has allowed us to increase the number of clinicians supporting our students, expanding professional learning opportunities for staff. A notable example is a grant we received two years ago for Youth Mental Health First Aid. We used a 'train-the-trainer' model where a dedicated group of teachers and teaching assistants willingly stepped up to become trainers themselves. We then planned our four PD days to ensure comprehensive training for all staff, which was exceptionally well-received. Once again, teacher-to-teacher training is yielding incredibly high levels of engagement and receptivity.

To proactively address potential teacher burnout, we have structured our calendar with an August, Fall, and Spring PD day, along with eight early release days per year. While we have explored virtual options, the majority of our PD is conducted in person. For example, when our teachers needed clarity on the practical expectations for implementation of our AIM Pathway training, our reading specialists addressed this by creating online professional learning modules demonstrating implementation in classrooms."