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Carrollton Team Attends NAIS Workshop on Teacher Learning Systems

Carrollton Team Attends NAIS Workshop on Teacher Learning Systems
  • Faculty

A team of ten educational leaders from Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart recently traveled to Washington, DC, to participate in the NAIS Institute on Leading Systems for Teacher Learning, a two-day intensive workshop focused on adaptive leadership and building coherent professional development systems centered on teacher growth.

The group included Lyana Azan, Dean of Teaching and Learning; Caroline Gillingham-Varela, Dean of Academics and Curriculum; and Thais de Leon Perez, Director of RECS, along with the M-12 Discipline Chairs: Amanda Baumgartner (Religion), Natalie Astigarraga (English), Julie Anne Cannon (Mathematics), Sarah Kreh (Science), Grace Horwitz Leon (Physical Education), and Michael Eddens (Visual Arts).

Led by Dr. Elham Kazemi, professor of mathematics education at the University of Washington, and Megan Kennedy, director of the Resilience Lab at UW, the institute introduced participants to a critical distinction in school leadership: the difference between technical problems—those with clear solutions and existing expertise—and adaptive challenges—complex issues that require new learning, shifts in mindset, and changes in organizational culture.

The team explored core principles of adaptive leadership, learning to create environments where every voice is valued, to build trust through authenticity and transparency, and to navigate discomfort with emotional awareness and empathy. A central focus was the vital connection between adaptive leadership and classroom practice. Most importantly, the workshop reinforced that teaching can be learned through continual development over time and that there is value in making teaching visible and collaborative rather than isolated.

The workshop introduced coordinated systems for teacher learning, including weekly grade-level team meetings, classroom visits, instructional leadership teams, and learning labs. These systems are designed to create connected professional development that keeps student thinking at the center.

As Carrollton looks toward the next academic year, insights from this institute will help us reimagine how teachers learn together about their practice in sustained and coherent ways. Ms. Kennedy noted, "The heart and soul in our schools is what happens with teachers and students." This idea and the Goals and Criteria will guide Carrollton's work ahead: keeping our mission, classroom experience, and student outcomes at the center of every decision.