Education: Bachelor’s degree, psychology and social welfare; Master’s degree, school psychology

Experience: School psychologist, Special education teacher, Behavior support specialist, Educational consultant, Professional learning consultant
Joined Heartland AEA in 2002

Expertise: Structured literacy; instructional design; formative assessment; specially designed instruction

Professional affiliations: International Dyslexia Association, Strategic Instruction Model professional developer

Education: Bachelor’s degree, early childhood and elementary education with K-6 reading endorsement; Master’s degree, teaching; K-12 ELL endorsement; Master’s degree, educational administration

Experience: Preschool teacher, 1st grade teacher, Instructional coach, Literacy consultant/professional learning consultant
Joined Heartland AEA in 2021

Expertise: Science of Reading; literacy instructional packages; supporting English Learners; MTSS (support in building capacity of building leadership teams, SAMI facilitation, action planning/school improvement); systems coaching (district and building level); ESSA; co-teaching; instructional coaching; curriculum adoption/implementation 

How I’ve made an impact: I worked with the administrators of several elementary schools in a district on developing and implementing a comprehensive school improvement plan. At one school, we started by analyzing student achievement data and determining areas of strength and areas for growth. I then supported administrators in developing processes to work with their leadership team to determine action steps to address growth areas. Throughout the school year, I provided a cadence of weekly support, which included classroom observations and leadership coaching around providing meaningful feedback to teachers. As a result, school leaders gained the knowledge and skills to carry out school improvement action steps as well as monitor progress toward meeting the goals they established for themselves.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, elementary education; Master’s degree, teaching; Endorsements: reading, social studies, English as a Second Language

Experience: Elementary classroom teacher, literacy consultant
Joined Heartland AEA in 2019

Expertise: Science of Reading; evidence- and research-based strategies in literacy; assessment and data-based decision-making in literacy (including data days and progress monitoring reviews); specially designed instruction in literacy; literacy interventions; literacy curriculum adoptions; use of FastBridge and Panorama 

Professional affiliations: LETRS and SEEDS of Learning facilitator

How I’ve made an impact: In a district I work closely with, I collaborate with building administrators to create a schedule that allows for frequent data-based decision-making. I collaborate with elementary teachers to analyze universal screening data three times per year and progress monitoring data every six weeks to inform instructional decisions. Together, we review assessment results to identify student strengths and areas needing improvement, and I help to guide adjustments to core instruction and tailor small group interventions by providing evidence- and research-based routines and strategies that meet the instructional needs of students. If additional data is needed, I help to gather that data by administering diagnostic reading assessments to students and meeting with the teacher to use those additional results in instructional planning. I work closely with teachers to provide implementation support through modeling and coaching of their instructional plans to ensure that interventions are targeted and effective, leading to measurable improvements in student outcomes. Regular data discussions allow us to continuously refine our practices and share responsibility for student success.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, elementary education with reading endorsement; Master’s degree, education; Dyslexia specialist endorsement

Experience: 1st-8th grade reading teacher, Elementary classroom teacher, Middle school English/language arts teacher; Literacy consultant
Joined Heartland AEA in 2007

Expertise: Literacy: standards work, Science of Reading/Structured Literacy, instructional practices, high-quality instructional materials; Diverse Learners: K-6 SDI-literacy, dyslexia, intervention system

Professional affiliations: Knowledge & Practice Examination for Effective Reading Instruction (KPEERI)-certified Structured Literacy 

How I’ve made an impact: I’ve supported a district over multiple years as it made a “radical reset” in literacy. Together, we’ve built effective and efficient supplemental and intensive reading intervention systems across all levels and enhanced and expanded the universal tier through the adoption of high-quality instructional materials for literacy instruction. We are currently engaging in intensification of literacy instruction targeted at improving outcomes for students with IEPs.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, communications; Bachelor’s degree, elementary education; Master’s degree, literacy implementation; Educational specialist degree, instructional leadership and literacy implementation

Experience: Secondary English/language arts teacher, Secondary academic interventionist, Literacy consultant
Joined Heartland AEA in 2020

Expertise: Adolescent Science of Reading; foundational Science of Reading; academic standards implementation; vocabulary/morphology instruction; instructional best practices in structured literacy; secondary content-area literacy

Professional affiliations: IDA, ASCD 

How I’ve made an impact: I have worked with a district’s administrative team to support a consistent understanding of best practices in literacy across all grade levels/buildings. Most recently, we worked with core classroom instruction, connecting the grades and content areas and creating common language and expectations in literacy for both staff and students. This has allowed teachers to better differentiate and scaffold learning for all students, especially those who struggle in the Tier 1 classroom. While this is an ongoing process, each piece of the learning experience has made the district stronger and more collegial.