Virtual Assembly Session

School Change: A Look from the Inside
Monday, February 4, 2008
1:00 - 2:00 pm Eastern

What does school change look like over time?  How do leaders explore options, launch programs, and deepen and expand positive change by building and supporting learning communities to foster collaboration and ensure buy-in of all school staff?  This Virtual Assembly Session will dig into these key issues, creating a framework and giving you a taste of the kind of ideas to be shared and discussed at the Assembly.

Presenters: Stephanie Hirsh, Executive Director and Joellen Killion, Deputy Executive Director of the National Staff Development Council (NSDC)

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Stephanie Hirsh

Dr. Stephanie Hirsh is the executive director of the National Staff Development Council (NSDC). NSDC is the only national education organization whose 12,500 members seek to increase student learning by strengthening educators' learning.

Prior to her appointment as executive director, Hirsh served the association as deputy executive director for 18 years. She began her educational career as a junior high teacher and also served as a school district administrator in the Richardson (TX) School District. In 1996 she was elected to the Richardson school board and served for three terms. Hirsh has published books and articles on topics of educational leadership, professional development, and school improvement. She speaks on these topics internationally and advises federal and state policymakers on issues related to education policy and in particular teachers and teaching.

Hirsh serves on advisory boards for the National Center for Culturally Responsive Education, University of Texas College of Education, University of North Texas Jewish Studies Program, Jewish Community Center of Dallas, Measured Progress, and Microsoft Partners in Learning. She has been recognized for her scholarship, volunteerism, and leadership by the University of North Texas, Texas Association of School Boards, Texas Staff Development Council, Jewish Community Center of Dallas, Richardson Independent School District, Junior Achievement, and Kappa Delta Pi.

Hirsh is the author of numerous books and articles related to professional learning. Her most recent book, The Learning Educator: A New Era for Professional Learning, co-authored with Joellen Killion, explore 8 principles that shape professional learning for the next decade.

Joellen Killion

Joellen is the Deputy Executive Director for the National Staff Development Council. In her work with NSDC, Joellen focuses on improving professional learning for all educators. She is a frequent contributor to the Journal of Staff Development. Her books, What Works in the Middle: Results-Based Staff Development, What Works in the Elementary Grades: Results-Based Staff Development, and What Works in the High School: Results-Based Staff Development, summarize two-year studies of content-specific staff development. Her study of schools that have received the U.S. Department of Education's Model Professional Development Awards sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education and WestEd resulted in Teachers Who Learn Kids Who Achieve: A Look at Model Professional Development. She has studied online learning and its role in professional development. This study resulted in E-Learning for Educators: Implementing the Standards. Her book most recent books include Assessing Impact: Evaluating Staff Development, Assessing Impact: Evaluating Staff Development: A Trainer's Manual, Collaborative Professional Learning Teams in School and Beyond: A Tool Kit for New Jersey Educators, and Taking the Lead: New Roles for Teacher Leaders and School-based Coaches.

Joellen has extensive experience in professional development. At NSDC, she has led a number of initiatives related to examining the link between professional development and student learning. She has extensive experience in professional development planning, design, implementation, and evaluation both at the school and system level. She has conducted evaluations of projects funded by federal and private foundation grants including Technology Challenge Grants, GE Foundation, and Wachovia's Teachers and Teaching Initiative.

Joellen is married to Terry, a retired high school technology instructor who now teaches high school in St. Thomas. She is the mother of Sara, 26, and Greg, 23. To relax she enjoys being outside with her family in the Colorado mountains; sailing, obviously not in Colorado; and doing nothing, although spare time for these activities is rare.