Heather Friziellie - Yes We Can!: General and Special Educators Collaborating in a Professional Learning Community

Copyright 2016 by Solution Tree Press

Materials appearing here are copyrighted. With one exception, all rights are reserved. Readers may reproduce only those pages marked Reproducible. Otherwise, no part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without prior written permission of the publisher.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Friziellie, Heather, author. | Schmidt, Julie A. author. | Spiller, Jeanne, author.

Title: Yes we can! : general and special educators collaborating in a professional learning community / Heather Friziellie, Julie A. Schmidt, and Jeanne Spiller.

Description: Bloomington, IN : Solution Tree Press, [2016] | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2015048973 | ISBN 9781936763993 (perfect bound)

Subjects: LCSH: Group work in education. | Professional learning communities.

| Teachers--In-service training. | Special education

teachers--Professional relationships.

Classification: LCC LB1032 .F79 2016 | DDC 371.39/5--dc23 LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015048973

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I have the distinct privilege of working with extraordinary educators, administrators, board members, parents, and, most importantly, students in Kildeer Countryside Community Consolidated School District 96. Each day, I am awed and inspired by my colleagues work ethic, knowledge base, innovation, commitment to PLC practices, and passion for making sure all learners in our system find success. I learn from them daily and feel lucky to be part of such an amazing school district. On a personal note, I thank my husband, Shaun, and my children, Katie, Braden, and Taylor, for being my constant inspiration and my light in life. You each make me a better person, and I love you more than youll ever know. Last, to my parents, I thank you for always believing in me and making sure that I grew up to view challenges as opportunities.

Heather

Becoming a school district superintendent was not something I ever aspired to... until I joined the Kildeer District 96 family. I, as most do, feel very passionate about and dedicated to the amazing, ongoing PLC work that we have worked so hard to deeply embed. It is this work and the incredibly talented people at all levels of the organization that changed my mind and my heart. The teachers, support staff, administrators, and board of education members I am privileged to know and serve remind me every day that all students can succeed at high levels when the adults in their environment believe they can and provide the supports necessary for them to excel. I am thankful to have parents who believe deeply in public education and who still tell me that they are proud of me every opportunity they get! But no one knows the depth of my commitment to this work better than my husband, Rob, and my daughter, Lily, both of whom I love with all my heart. Their willingness to share me, combined with their unwavering love, support, and patience, make me a better educator, wife, mom, and person.

Julie

The best years of my teaching career were the three years I co-taught with Amy Lilly, a dedicated and passionate special education teacher. Together, Amy and I set out to ensure that every student in our classroom learned at high levels. We had high expectations for all our students and every single one of them met those expectations. Sure, we worked hard and it wasnt always easy, but watching our students learn, grow, and truly thrive solidified for me that the hours of planning to provide just the right amount of support and scaffolding were worth it. Thank you, Amy, for the experience that shaped me as an educator and started the journey that led to this book.

I consider myself extremely fortunate to work in a school district where we all work hard every day to live up to the ideals in this book. Thank you to Tom Many and Chris Jakicic for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to follow my passion for teaching and learning in a place like Kildeer District 96. I would also like to thank my coauthors, Heather and Julie, for their thoughtful insights, feedback, and support throughout the writing process.

Most importantly, thank you to my husband, Dave, my son, Brandon, and my daughter, Breton, for encouraging me and loving me no matter what.

Jeanne

Solution Tree Press would like to thank the following reviewers:

Colleen Armstrong

Codirector of Special Education

Webster Central School District

Webster, New York

Crystal Bratton

Special Education Teacher

Bloomington High School North

Bloomington, Indiana

Troy Gago

Middle School Special Education Teacher

Stanley-Boyd School District

Stanley, Wisconsin

SuAnn Grant

Deputy Superintendent

Fort Leavenworth USD 207

Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

Staci Green

Director of Special Education

Harrison County Co-Op

Hallsville, Texas

Liann Hanson

Principal

Oak Crest Elementary School

Belle Plaine, Minnesota

Kathleen Hugo

Director of Special Education

Monroe County Community School

Corporation

Bloomington, Indiana

Reproducible pages are in italics.

Vist go.solution-tree.com/PLCbooks to
download the free reproducibles in this book.

Heather Friziellie is director of educational services for Kildeer Countryside Community Consolidated School District 96, located in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. She previously served as both an elementary and middle school principal. As a leader, she is involved in literacy curriculum development, data analysis, and staff development. With experience as a building- and district-level administrator, curriculum specialist, and classroom teacher, Heather has consulted with districts throughout the United States and presented at national conferences. Educators at all levels have benefited from her insight and experience related to developing high-performing teams, data-driven decision making, response to intervention (RTI), and literacy instruction. She received a Those Who Excel award in Illinois in the School Administrator category.

Heather earned a masters degree in curriculum and instruction with an endorsement in school administration and a bachelors degree in elementary education. She is pursuing a doctorate.