Kathleen H. Swanson is now retired from Jefferson County Schools and periodically teaches as an adjunct instructor for Metropolitan State College Teacher Education Department in Denver. Prior to 2010, Kathleen was a literacy instructional coach at Stein Elementary School in Lakewood. Kathleen helped the school function as an active Professional Learning Community. By directly linking teacher learning with assessed student needs and up-to-date best practices, she supported her colleagues in providing immediate and focused classroom intervention and differentiated instruction. She also coordinated the development and staff training of a writing curriculum for K-6. In the past ten years, Stein Elementary has risen from one of the lowest performing schools to one of the highest performing Title I schools in Jefferson County. This is no small feat, given that the school serves a population with multiple at-risk factors including poverty, a high turnover rate, and a large number of English Language Learners. Stein continues to win recognition as a high-achieving school thanks to the continued efforts of its talented and dedicated staff.
My passion is building capacity for sustained change through a school culture of collaboration and mutual support. I would be interested in hearing from others around their experiences with Professional Learning Communities and school reform efforts, expecially in the area of writing instruction, K-6.
