Paola Gilliam

This Would Improve Arizona Schools More Than Anything Else

From Arizona Republic, March 17, 2019, by Joanna Allhands

Classrooms filled with highly effective teachers. I know. Duh. But the research is clear: Students who have effective teachers perform light-years ahead of their peers. And that accelerated performance sticks with students for years (though the converse is true for students who have ineffective teachers).

Teacher Awarded $175,000 Grant

From Rocky Mount Telegram, March 12, 2019, by Amelia Harper

One Phillips Middle School teacher received the surprise of a lifetime Monday when she was told she had just won a $175,000 grant for herself, her school and for Edgecombe County Public Schools. Casandra Cherry is in her second year as the math multi-classroom leader at  the school. She previously taught math at South Edgecombe Middle School for eight years

Opportunity Culture® Dashboard Updates Data on Nationwide Initiative

From EdNC, March 6, 2019

Public Impact, which created and leads the national Opportunity Culture initiative, updates the Opportunity Culture annually and today released the latest results from 2018–19, showing that student learning continues to benefit, and teachers want to keep and grow Opportunity Culture.

Learning to Lead as a Multi-Classroom Leader

By Hadley Moore, March 4, 2019; published by EducationNC, April 3, 2019

“The MCL role allowed me to grow and feel confident as an instructional leader. Without this experience, I would not have pursued administration.” Hadley Moore gained skills as a multi-classroom leader that helped her succeed as an assistant principal. Read More…

Rethinking the Teaching Profession

From American Enterprise Institute, February 8, 2019, by Frederick M. Hess and Amy Cummings

The very shape of the teaching profession has made it increasingly difficult to recruit or compensate educators in a fashion that both attracts and retains talent. Here are four ways to rethink it.

Coker-Wimberly: Setting Kindergarteners Up for Success Starts Day One

From EducationNC, February 6, 2019, by Liz Bell

When children come to the first day of kindergarten, they come with a variety of needs, personalities, abilities, and backgrounds. The most important thing in those first few weeks is building a routine, said Annette Kent, a kindergarten teacher at Coker-Wimberly Elementary School in Edgecombe County.

Best of Both Worlds



Casey Jackson, a multi-classroom leader at Aycock Elementary School in Vance County, N.C., explains why she likes her Opportunity Culture role.