Bethany Plett, Ph.D

Instructional Work

• Co-taught with content area teachers using GLAD strategies to support ML students with language development and literacy
• Hosted Learning Lunches demonstrating literacy and language focused instructional strategies
• Planned and facilitated whole staff professional learning sessions for 40 teachers focused on literacy and language development
• Hosted professional book clubs for teachers
• Created lunch book clubs for students and teachers
• Compiled WIDA Access scores to disseminate to all and content area teachers
• Administrative Work
• Collaborated to use grade and attendance data for planning adult professional learning on the Instructional Learning Team (a branch of our MTSS work)
• Organized and administered WIDA Access and WIDA Alt-Access assessments for 280 students
• Assisted counselors with appropriate class placements for ML qualified students
• Administered WIDA Screener to new students
• Tracked English Language Development services each ML student received
• Used data to create classroom support schedules with 4 bilingual paras and family liaisons

• District Level Work
• Coordinated and delivered professional development for fifteen secondary Dual Language teachers
• Provided initial and ongoing OCDE GLAD training to 18 secondary teachers across the district in first two years of implementation
• Planned and led trainings for bilingual paraprofessionals
• Participated in Instruction in Race and Identity Task Force and Community Advisory
• Collaboratively planned and supported Professional Learning Communities with secondary ELL Facilitators
• Planned and led collaborative frameworks development for 9th-12th grade English Language Arts over two years
• Met each year with high school administrators to plan master schedule possibilities for ML students
• Planned and led Language Learning Cadre-a multiyear, ongoing professional development cadre for 30 elementary and secondary language learning school-based specialists
• Facilitated after school workshops for teachers on numeracy and literacy for Students with Interrupted Formal Schooling
• Taught ML Literacy courses for Highline's ELL endorsement through Seattle University
• Taught Educational Psychology Courses for Highline's Bilingual Teaching Fellows program through Western Washington University
• Presented research on language learning at WABE and Highline's ELL Symposium
• Presented equitable teaching strategies at Highline School District's Equity Symposium
• School Level Work
• Onboarded secondary school-based ELL specialists by helping them understand master scheduling, state assessments, instruction, coaching teachers and state compliance issues for ML students
• Collaborated with language learning specialists to do OCDE GLAD strategy series during Professional Collaboration Time
• Provided ongoing instructional coaching for ELL teachers as requested

• Attended IEP meetings
• Supervised lunches and passing periods
• Supervised safety procedures
• Supported restorative practices by helping students manage their feelings and get back to class
• Communicated with families about student discipline
• Practiced instructional observations to provide feedback to student teachers
• Evaluated 8 paraprofessionals
• Supported recess paras with bi-weekly Ruler meetings
• Collaboratively planned and led a pilot project with Chief Talent Officer, Steve Grubb, for the HR Family Action Committee
• Collaborated with district insurance company instructors to increase interactivity of presentations

• Taught secondary literacy, ELL methods and Culturally Responsive Teaching to three cohorts of pre-service teachers
• Supervised pre-service student teachers in their field placements
• Collaborated with the Adult Education Department to create the ELL endorsement program currently used by the Highline School District

• School-Based Facilitation Equity Work
• Audited the earned credits of ELL students to find students lacking in science and social studies credits
• Collaborated with teachers and principal to implement a co-teaching model to ensure that ELL students earn content area credit resulting in dramatic increase in on-time graduation rates for ELL students
• From 2003-2008, the school increased graduation rates from 51% to 88%
• Tracked grades of ELL students in content area classes to collaborate with the student and the teachers to increase their success
• Monitored data on ELL student progress to inform creation of master schedule
• School-Based Facilitation Instructional Work
• Collaborated in PLC with other School-Based ELL Facilitators to support our ongoing knowledge of language acquisition and coaching practice
• Co-taught newcomer and intermediate level students with content area science and social studies
• Supported counselor with Spanish interpretation
• Teaching
• Taught Beginning and Intermediate ESL classes in reading, writing and communication as well as science and math for ESL students
• Taught 9th grade ELA using a reader's/writer's workshop model to differentiate instruction
• Participated in multi-year PLC with ELA teachers to align the structures and content of ELA from Newcomer ELL to 12th grade ELA which significantly improved ELA WASL success rates and credit earning for ELL students