District Educator Effectiveness Cohort

The Challenge

Senior talent leaders in large public school districts are responsible for major initiatives impacting hundreds or even thousands of employees. This is especially true for leaders responsible for educator effectiveness initiatives. At the same time, these leaders are typically the only person in their district in that role. Leaders often do not have access to a thought partner who has the same role as them, or is responsible for the same outcomes.

The Opportunity

Hendy is thrilled to launch the District Educator Effectiveness Cohort this school year! The Cohort aims to support senior-level leaders in their respective districts by way of a facilitated cohort to promote building connections, sharing ideas, and solving problems. The cohort will meet virtually 4-6 times over the course of the 2024-25 school year to focus on shared learning and problems of practice.

The goal for cohort meetings is to:

Have a “safe space” to learn new ideas, make connections, and problem-solve
Learn about what works and what doesn’t in other large urban districts
Explore topics of immediate interest, and engage in shared professional learning aligned to immediate priorities

The District Educator Effectiveness cohort experience is for senior-level leaders in large, urban public school districts who are responsible for initiatives related to employee effectiveness. Often, individuals in this role are the only person in their district with this responsibility. The aim of the cohort is to provide opportunities for these leaders to build community with others in similar roles - to build connections, share ideas, and solve problems related to educator effectiveness initiatives.

This cohort is a fit for you if you:

Hold a senior leadership role in the talent office of a large urban school district
Are responsible for educator effectiveness initiatives across roles (teachers, administrators, support staff, central office, etc.)
Are accountable for strategic priorities in your district, and execute your work through management of a team and by leading through influence
Recognize the benefits of engaging with peers from other districts and commit to prioritizing and attending cohort meetings

2024-2025 Cohort Members

Tori Austen

Sr. Executive Director, Office of Continuous Improvement,
San Antonio ISD

Michael Herring

Executive Director of Educator Effectiveness,
Chicago Public Schools

Leta Johnson-Garner

Executive Director of Employee Effectiveness and Evaluation,
School District of Phildelphia

Dr. Charity Magruder

Director of Employee Performance,
Prince George's County Public Schools

Jesse Papia

Director of Employee Effectiveness, Baltimore City Public Schools

Richel Raich-Cantu

Sr. Director of Talent Development, Innovation, & Strategy,
IDEA Public Schools

Chrishele Kingdom

Senior Director, Assessment
Detroit Public Schools Community District

Yolanda Stanislaus

Director of the Department of Professional Growth Systems,
Montgomery County Public Schools

Meet Our Facilitator

Jessica Wilson

Hendy Avenue Consultant

Jessica joined Hendy Avenue in September 2017 because she has a passion for improving outcomes for children through supporting the adults who serve them. During her tenure at Hendy, Jessica has led several projects focused on talent strategy, including the Independence Mission Schools as they aim to implement a more rigorous instructional framework, and to design teacher leadership positions to support that framework; the Delaware Department of Education as they aim to revise and reinvent their teacher evaluation framework; and Promise Academy, a drop-out recovery high school in Cleveland, as the school re-starts to continue to serve youth in Cleveland.

More About Jessica

Prior to joining Hendy, Jessica served as the Executive Director of Talent Impact at the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD). In this capacity, she managed the implementation of evaluation and performance management systems for all CMSD employees, including teachers, school leaders, administrators, and support staff. Jessica also managed the district’s licensure and certification work, ensuring that all educators were properly licensed, and supporting educators to attain and maintain licensure appropriate for their role in schools. Prior to joining CMSD, Jessica was a Project Director at TNTP. During her tenure at TNTP, Jessica led district diagnostics in Florida examining district’s success in implementing new college and career-ready standards, managed the creation and implementation of the teacher evaluation system in Newark, New Jersey, and led teacher career ladder staffing in Pittsburgh Public Schools. Jessica also managed the creation of the TNTP Core rubric, TNTP’s teacher observation and development rubric aligned to the Common Core State Standards.

Jessica holds a bachelor’s degree from Saint Louis University and a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University. She lives in Cleveland with her husband, two young children, and dog Sailor. Parenting children in elementary school is providing Jessica with a whole new perspective on teaching and learning in schools.

Learn More About the District Educator Effectiveness Cohort

We are seeking senior-level leaders from large, urban public school districts for our District Educator Effectiveness Cohort. Participants in this cohort are responsible for driving initiatives related to employee effectiveness, often serving as the sole individual in their district tasked with this critical role. Through this program, members will have the opportunity to enhance their skills, gain valuable insights, and build a supportive network of peers dedicated to improving educational outcomes in their districts.

Want More Information?

If you encounter questions during either you application or nomination process, please reach out! You can email jessicawilson@hendyavenue.org with your inquiries.

Email Jessica