Reading Specialist Erin Quinlan’s exemplary work ethic, leadership and enthusiasm are felt throughout Captain Isaac Paine Elementary School in Foster, Rhode Island. In her six years as an educator, Quinlan has become one of the most sought after professionals on campus due to her deep knowledge of effective teaching and her calm, supportive demeanor.
Quinlan runs professional development modules for faculty on numerous language arts and assessment topics. One example is the rubric she developed for teaching, scoring and assessing how to write opinions, a skill relevant to Common Core learning. Prior to implementation, 80% of students scored 1s and 2s in the skill, but the same number achieved 3s and 4s by year-end under her tutelage. She serves as a mentor to newer teachers, provides coaching to peers, and is recognized as a go-to person when difficult decisions need to be made or when new approaches are being considered.
Struggling K-5 readers come to Quinlan for support that helps them meet and often exceed their student learning objectives by building self-confidence in tandem with innovative research-based methods. Her instruction is targeted and specific; her lessons are engaging. Reading fluency among her students improved by 26 words per minute in only three months.
Quinlan involves parents in their children’s achievements and co-leads schoolwide “Learning Celebrations” where, four times a year, parents and community members are welcomed into the classrooms to witness student accomplishments. She spends hours researching best practices, finding resources, and connecting with students, families and teachers. As a result of her dedication and effectiveness, she has been accepted into the Principal Residency Program, a highly selective administration certification program approved by the Rhode Island Department of education “to develop a cadre of principals who champion educational equity through leadership of innovative schools.”
Doctor of Education, Educational Leadership
