Dr. Ethel S. Burton

• Policy & Culture Leadership: Spearheaded the transformation of school discipline policies through implementing restorative justice practices, fostering a school-wide culture grounded in respect, inclusion, and student agency, leading to a 20% reduction in behavioral issues. This involved collaborative policy development and training for all stakeholders.
• Instructional Leadership & Equity: Led the design and implementation of an equity-centered and culturally responsive educational model, directly influencing curriculum and instructional practices to ensure they reflect and affirm the diverse backgrounds of the student body, enhancing the quality and relevance of education for all learners.
• Professional Development & Quality: Directed cutting-edge professional development initiatives focused on anti-bias and social justice education, empowering teachers to adopt more inclusive and empathetic instructional approaches, thereby elevating the quality of classroom environments and student experiences.
• Academic Strategy & Outcomes: Drove improvements in the quality of education by implementing targeted interventions and personalized learning strategies that effectively addressed achievement gaps, and significantly increased graduation rates for historically underserved students, demonstrating strategic academic leadership.
• Teacher Development & Instructional Quality: Led the transformation of teacher development and onboarding policies and systems, introducing innovative coaching and support frameworks that significantly enhanced instructional quality across the school, and fostered a unified, high-performing educator team.
• Evaluation & Growth for Quality: Implemented a groundbreaking teacher evaluation and coaching program focused on continuous improvement, directly impacting instructional effectiveness and fostering sustained teacher growth, ultimately enhancing the quality of teaching and learning.
• Inclusive Practices & Support: Directed targeted summer programs focused on academic recovery, ensuring the implementation of inclusive learning practices and the effective management of Special Education services to improve academic outcomes for diverse learners, emphasizing equitable access to quality education.
• Curriculum & Community Engagement: Collaborated with instructional teams to influence curriculum development towards greater cultural responsiveness, strengthening the connection between instructional content and the experiences of BIPOC communities, thereby enriching the quality and relevance of education.

• Culture Transformation & Policy Implementation: Led the development and execution of a school-wide culture transformation by integrating restorative practices, SEL, and culturally responsive teaching, resulting in a reduction in behavioral incidents and an increase in student satisfaction through systemic policy changes and implementation.
• Professional Development & Equitable Practices: Designed and delivered high-impact professional development for educators and leadership teams on equity-driven classroom management, culturally responsive pedagogy, and trauma-informed practices, directly influencing instructional practices and fostering a more equitable and supportive learning environment, boosting teacher retention by 15%.
• Data-Driven Intervention & Policy: Implemented data-driven behavior intervention systems aligned with regional and national standards, leading to a 40% reduction in suspension and expulsion rates while promoting equitable discipline practices and improving student attendance through informed policy and practice.
• System-Wide Policy & Equity: Collaborated with school and district leaders to codify and scale equitable disciplinary policies across schools, reducing disproportionality in disciplinary actions by 30% and ensuring consistent, inclusive practices throughout the region, demonstrating leadership in shaping equitable educational policies.

Partnerships for Holistic Education: Built strong partnerships with families and community stakeholders, driving initiatives that enhanced family engagement, supported student success holistically, and aligned with a shared vision of creating joyful, inclusive learning environments that enhance the overall quality of education.