Learning Forward

Ann is a Senior Consultant for Learning Forward.

Learning Forward’s Center for Results offers high-impact consulting and programs, providing the tools and technical support to transform professional learning and increase educator capacity to improve student achievement. Through ongoing relationships and services, the Center supports leaders in building powerful systems to improve teacher effectiveness and implement quality practice in educator professional learning. Learning Forward provides practical expertise in developing and implementing effective professional learning systems for states, districts, and schools through our results-driven professionals, customized programs, and high-impact tools.

The Center for Results is committed to ensuring its clients not only gain new knowledge and tactics, but also that those new skills translate into effective, research-driven practices that increase student achievement. States and districts regularly use our expert technical assistance and strategic consulting services to help them bolster instruction, deepen learning, and strengthen school performance.

AASA (American Association of School Administrators)

AASA, the School Superintendents Association, advocates for the highest quality public education for all students, and develops and supports school system leaders. AASA, the School Superintendents Association, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA members range from chief executive officers, superintendents and senior level school administrators to cabinet members, professors and aspiring school system leaders. AASA members are the chief education advocates for children. AASA members advance the goals of public education and champion children’s causes in their districts and nationwide. As school system leaders, AASA members set the pace for academic achievement. They help shape policy, oversee its implementation and represent school districts to the public at large. Ann works as a consultant for special projects managed by AASA.

In addition, Ann has long standing relationships with many states, districts and associations including the Rochester City School District, Fairfax County Public Schools, Prince George’s County Public Schools, New York State United Teachers, Coxsackie-Athens Schools District, the Archdioceses of Philadelphia, Allentown and Reading, PA, Greece Schools, Greece, NY and many others.

University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education Distributed Leadership Project

Contemporary educational reform places a great premium upon the relationship between leadership and school improvement. Effective leaders exercise an indirect but powerful influence on the effectiveness of the school and on the achievement of students (Leithwood and Jantzi, 2000) Many believe and have written that: “The days of the principal as the lone instructional leaders are over. We no longer believe that one administrator can serve as the instructional leader for an entire school without the substantial participation of other educators (Elmore, 2000; Lambert, 1998; Lambert et al.,1995; Lambert, Collay, Dietz, Kent & Richert, 1997; Olson, 2000; Poplin, 1994; Spillane, Halverson & Diamond, 2001). The process of change required to move to the next levels of reform will be incredibly demanding. What is needed is not a few good leaders, but large numbers to make the extraordinary efforts required (Fullan, 2003). Ann is a faculty member of this work and focuses on professional learning communities, a collaborative culture, and peer coaching. She develops the capacity of teams and facilitates regular reviews of the progress of teams. http://www.gse.upenn.edu/pdf/pcel/overview_of_dl.pdf