This year, my daughter begins her journey as a fourth-grade teacher. Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the privilege of helping her set up her classroom and hear about her experiences during new teacher orientation. During one of our conversations, she asked me, “If you were still a superintendent, what would you be saying to new teachers right now?”
It's an important question and one I wanted to reflect on more deeply. This month's Catalyst blog post was a natural place to share my thoughts. After reading, I'd love to know how you'd answer this question. What might you add or adjust based on your context? Feel free to reply with your reflections!
With anticipation for our shared journey,
P.S. Katie Martin, Kate Weisberg, and I will be facilitating a pre-conference workshop on competency-based learning at the FullScale Symposium in October. With such amazing feedback last year, we can't wait to provide this experience again this fall. Learn more about the session here and register here.
COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AS A MODEL FOR LEARNER-CENTERED CHANGE
It's been encouraging to see the increase in community school investment at the federal level over the last few years. As a result, new and revitalized statewide initiatives to support community schools have been created in California, Vermont, Illinois, Montana, Idaho, Missouri, New Hampshire, and Ohio (to name a few). Butwhat are community schools, and why do they matter when we think about learner-centered change?
The modern community school movement began in the early 1900s, with John Dewey and Jane Addams often cited as two of the leading thinkers in this work. The idea was simple: learning environments should serve the whole child. To do so, the entire community should take ownership in the education and growth of its young people.
At Learner-Centered Collaborative, we have identified six key structures that consistently support and enable the learner-centered practices community schools hope to embed in their learning communities. Our work with districts like Santa Ana USD,Lamont ESD, and Escondido USD has shown how powerful these structures are in bringing learner-centered visions to life.
If you are following or want to follow a community school model and would like support creating sustainable systems and structures that generate incredible results for the learners you serve, reach out to Learner-Centered Collaborative today!
EXPANDING THE NETWORK
Sharing insights with learner-centered educators nationwide
Events & Webinars
FEATURED EVENT: Breaking Up With Grades: Shifting Mindsets Toward Competency-Based Assessment and Reporting to Improve Learning (register here)
October 25, 2025, 10:00am-4:00pm CT | New Orleans, LA
WEBINAR: How to Leverage AI in Your Learner-Centered Classroom (register here)
September 23, 12:00-1:00pm PT | Virtual
WEBINAR: How Districts Are Making Big Moves to Create Learner-Centered Systems (register here)
"Our partners in the Encinitas Union School District recently welcomed educators from their sister city in Amukasa, Japan. The visit showcased their Portrait of a Learner in action, along with flexible spaces and outdoor learning environments. It was a pleasure to be joined by SDCOE Board Member Rick Shea, whose vision helped spark the sister city partnership." ~Devin Vodicka
"South San Francisco USD welcomed back all staff with a Kickoff Rally that centered learners in the goals for the year and as the emcees of the event. We then co-facilitated two days of professional learning centered around belonging and wellbeing, with staff sharing stories about themselves, SSFUSD, and their vision for the future of the district." ~Danny Scuderi
"Chico Country Day School teachers continued their competency-based practice journey by collaborating across the system to define essential standards and competencies, align assessment tools, and continue to bring their Portrait of a Learner to life across content areas." ~Kate Weisberg
Celebrating learner-centered leaders doing transformational work
Tim Taylor, Co-Founder and President of America Succeeds, has been a remarkable collaborator and catalyst in bridging the needs of the workforce with the priorities of K–12 education. Through his leadership, the Durable Skills framework has become a powerful tool for advancing conversations about the competencies that truly matter for learners’ long-term success—skills like collaboration, communication, and problem-solving. Learn more about Tim's impact and leadership here.
Learner-Centered Collaborative, 1611 S Melrose Dr., STE A #334, Vista, CA 92081
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