Colleen Carr

Key Achievements:

· Turnaround Success: Led a collaborative team of coaches, instructional leaders, and CCSD District Personnel to implement EL curriculum, conduct monthly walkthrough, and hold data meetings. By focusing on strategic 90 day, professional development opportunities with UVA, two big rocks (in 90 day plan), consistent and intensive progress monitoring, feedback, and key initiatives, that successfully moved four out of eleven Turnaround schools off the South Carolina failing schools list within two and a half years. We are currently anticipating that at least two more Acceleration Schools will be removed off the State of South Carolina failure school list and move to more conditional support. The Acceleration Schools blueprint for success is now being replicated district wide.

· School Climate and Teacher Retention: Achieved a 35% reduction in out-of-school suspensions and cut change of placement by 82% within two years. Coached school administration on enhancing systems, procedures, and student engagement by fostering innovative problem-solving and thinking outside the box. Emphasized the importance of student interventions, such as student court, alternative consequences, reteaching expectations, and referrals to counseling and guidance. Supported parents in identifying potential impairments affecting their child's social, academic, or behavioral development. Guided Acceleration Schools to recognize that 'Referrals don't change students—relationships do,' and championed the use of restorative practices. Partnered with local organizations to implement teacher incentive pay and SEL training, resulting in a 25% decrease in teacher turnover and a 32% increase in teacher attendance.

· Attendance and Engagement: Reduced chronic absenteeism by 20% and truancy by 18% across Acceleration Schools. Increased student and teacher attendance by 21% through strategic systems, blended coaching, and community partnerships, positively impacting school climate as reflected in the Panorama Survey and State Climate Report Card.

· Leadership Pipeline Development: Collaborated with District personnel to establish a robust leadership pipeline through monthly coaching sessions for assistant principals, principals, and parent advocates, focusing on professional development and career trajectory.

· Stakeholder Engagement: Established systems for stakeholder engagement, including community meetings, professional development, and initiatives like the Right to Read Call to Action Campaign, enhancing collaboration between schools and the community.

· Student Support and Equity: Advocated for the placement of parent liaisons, community mental health counselors, social workers, and additional school counselors. Worked with District staff to enhance MTSS processes and ensure compliance with 504s, MDRs, and IEPs.

· Academic Achievement: Increased high school graduation rates by 62% and improved college and career readiness by 74%. Boosted EOC scores by 27% through accelerated math programs, resources like SAGA, and support systems for students, ensuring equity in academic opportunities.

· Expanded Academic Programs: Implemented AVID, National Equity Lab, AP courses, and dual enrollment across Acceleration Schools. Increased ACT and SAT participation and scores by 15%, introduced PSAT for middle schoolers, and provided resources to improve students' college readiness.

· ESSA Subgroup Improvement: Achieved a 15-35% improvement in ELA, Math, and Science performance across ESSA subgroups, including ESE students, within two years.

· Data-Driven Leadership: Conducted bi-weekly site walkthroughs and established a system through KPIs to monitor progress, strategically implementing district resources to support student achievement.

· Discipline Policy Reform: Collaborated with the Office of Student Support to revise the Student Code of Conduct, making it less punitive and more supportive, particularly for black and brown students. Presented the improved discipline plan at the District symposium, reducing out-of-school suspensions.

· Transportation Equity: Worked with District transportation to ensure that Title 1 and lower-performing schools received equitable transportation services, comparable to those in affluent neighborhoods.

· Feedback and Improvement Initiatives: Created opportunities for feedback from students, teachers, and parents to improve practices, build leadership capacity, and retain talent at Acceleration Schools. Led forums and meetings to address needs, promote student success, and ensure continued community support.

· Community Engagement: Organized community meetings on topics such as trauma, advocacy, and literacy, fostering a supportive environment for students and parents in Acceleration Schools.

· ESSER Fund Utilization: Secured ESSER Funds to enable teachers, administration, and instructional leaders to participate in common planning and after-school PLCs, enhancing collaboration and instructional practices.

Beth Shields Middle School, Hillsborough County Public Schools, Tampa, Florida | April 2016 - July 2021

Key Achievements:

· School Improvement: Successfully leveraged the Turnaround School model to enhance systems, procedures, and student engagement. Guided school administration in innovative problem-solving, implementing student-centered interventions like student court, alternative consequences, and restorative practices. This approach helped elevate Beth Shields Middle School from a "D" to a "C" and maintain this rating during the COVID-19 pandemic.

· Academic Achievements: Increased student performance, with Geometry and Algebra 1 students consistently outperforming the district. Launched an accelerated program, allowing students to earn up to 13 high school credits and fulfill foreign language requirements before high school. Established pathways for student success by facilitating access to dual enrollment, International Baccalaureate (IB) programs, and advanced high school opportunities such as the DIE, AICE, and magnet schools, ensuring students were well-prepared for rigorous academic challenges and future educational endeavors.

· Professional Development: Developed and implemented the College Fellows Program, supporting Transformation Network schools. Mentored Assistant Principals for the Principal Pipeline Program, creating a robust leadership pipeline. Provided instructional leadership through targeted professional development, classroom observations, student engagement, student mastery of content, and data-driven decision-making.

· School Climate: Achieved a 78% reduction in out-of-school suspensions and significantly reduced behavioral issues by implementing a Restorative Practice Intervention program. Established a site-based Alternative for Out-of-School Suspension program focused on remedial academics, restorative practices and social-emotional learning (SEL).

· Community and School Engagement: Partnered with Amazon to establish a funded award-winning Coding and Robotics Program. Launched community initiatives like curriculum nights, parent universities, and career fairs, involving stakeholders in the educational process. Created a "Road Show" and visited feeder schools, exposing incoming students to the culture of Shields. Also met with feeder school administrators during the year to discuss horizontal alignment so that we can all be prepared for the following school year incoming students.

· Student Support: Collaborated with Ruskin Career Center to create a program allowing students to reduce student retention, learn trades, earn job certifications, and had the opportunity to finish at the high school or remain at the career center and be successful in a smaller learning environment. Hired a parent liaison to build partnerships with the community and provide essential resources to students and their families.

· Leadership and Innovation: Partnered with various STEM programs, creating opportunities for female scholars and students interested in STEM fields. Created a team of instructional coaches to improve teaching practices, foster student ownership of learning, and implement tools like CHAMPS, KAGAN, and Standards-Based Learning school-wide.

· Recognition and Advocacy: Partnered with HCPS School Board Member Lynn Gray to raise awareness of human trafficking and created the first LGBTQ+ student-led club in the HCPS District. Served on HASSA panels to recruit and build the leadership pipeline, providing teachers and staff with avenues to advance in school administration.

· Data-Driven Leadership : Leveraged data-driven decision-making to identify and address areas of improvement, leading to strategic academic and behavioral interventions that benefited all student groups, including English Language Learners and students with disabilities.

· Provided comprehensive instructional leadership through professional development, targeted classroom observations, and continuous feedback, driving improved teaching practices and student achievement.

• Mentored and prepared Assistant Principals for the Principal Pipeline Program, successfully promoting two to principal positions at elementary and high school

• Boosted graduation rates by implementing Saturday school for credit recovery and tutoring
• Conducted classroom evaluations and collaborated with the principal to align school programs with strategic goals.

• Increased the school's graduation rate by creating Saturday school where students had the opportunity to make up credits, gain tutorial access, gain access to online program to complete required course work, and for parents to have access to guidance counselors on the weekend
• Performed classroom evaluations to assess teacher strategies and effectiveness
• Partnered with the Principal to administer the school program in alignment with vision and goals, providing a positive, high-expectation academic environment.

• Coordinated instructional activities and coached teachers on effective practices aligned with district standards.

• Assisted with the planning, coordination, supervision and evaluation of all instructional activities within the school
• Coached teachers on instructional practices to ensure effective implementation of district curriculum standards
• Collaborated with teachers, staff, parents, and administrators to develop innovative educational initiatives.

• Led teaching teams and implemented effective instructional strategies to enhance student learning outcomes.

• Led teaching teams and implemented effective instructional strategies to enhance student learning outcomes.