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Instructional coach outlines teacher support program, reports about 540 meetings this year
Summary
Doctor Susan Sylvia described the district's instructional coaching program as a confidential, collaborative professional‑learning strategy for new and developing teachers and reported roughly 540 coaching meetings with 53 teachers this year; the program will expand in year three.
Doctor Susan Sylvia, the district’s instructional support coach, presented the program’s goals and reported on its use this year, saying the model is a confidential, collaborative coaching relationship aimed at increasing instructional access and teacher retention.
“What is instructional coaching? It's basically a professional learning strategy,” Doctor Sylvia said, describing her role as supporting teachers through co‑planning lessons, classroom visits, and conversations about mindset and adolescent learning. She emphasized that coaching is not evaluative and that confidentiality is central: the coach provides a nonjudgmental space to help teachers manage workload and refine strategies.
Sylvia and the administration reported about 540 meetings this year with roughly 53 teachers on the coach roster. For next year (year three), the program anticipates welcoming back about 40 non‑PTS teachers from the current roster and adding about 10 new participants. Planned enhancements include expanded classroom visits and small‑group collaboration to broaden peer learning.
Superintendent Watson and other administrators praised the program’s role in supporting career‑change teachers and improving access to teacher testing statewide. Watson noted Sylvia’s involvement in a statewide initiative to expand testing sites and recruit licensed evaluators for CTE teacher testing.
The committee endorsed continuing and modestly expanding the coaching program in the coming year and asked administration to return with specifics on scheduling and evaluation metrics.
