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Academic Coaches

Kelly Bacigalupi
Instructional Coach

 

Lissa Jones
Instructional Coach

 

Linda Kraus
Instructional Coach

 

Kelly Olson
Instructional Coach

 

The academic coaches work to support teachers and administrators in providing engaging, dynamic instruction. The goal of these teachers is to build capacity through demonstration, training, and the provision of additional resources in order for everyone to become even more effective instructional leaders. The coaches, a vital part of the Curriculum and Instruction Department, support all sites across all grade levels and subject areas. They serve the District wherever they are needed, often supporting in unexpected ways, but always supporting.

Their roles and responsibilities include, but are not limited to

  • Supporting all teachers, be they new to the profession or more experienced.

  • Doing model lessons

  • Facilitating teacher visiting teacher (TVT) and lesson study sessions

  • Attending weekly coaches’ meetings at the district office.

  • Providing PD on instruction at staff/department meetings.

  • Supporting new curriculum pilots and adoption roll-outs.

  • Providing ongoing support for all curricula.

  • Facilitating vertical teams in a variety of subject areas.

  • Planning and implementing various trainings, including those on IS4, ELA/ELD, Eureka Math, NGSS curriculum adoption, technology, and others.

  • Supporting District intervention programs.

  • Providing needed technology training and support.

  • Facilitating district-wide professional learning communities for all elementary grade levels and many subjects at the secondary level.

The Academic Coaching program began in 2013, and in that time coaches have run a huge variety of programs and provided essential support and services for OJUSD. These have included:

  • Providing yearly IS4 training for all teachers new to our District.

  • Providing ongoing coaching for all teachers new to our District.

  • Creating and providing Common Core training and ELD Standards training to all OJUSD teachers.

  • Active participation in TK-6 and 7-12 Curriculum Councils.

  • Training and supporting teachers in various elements of the CAASPP system.

  • Coordinating and facilitating curriculum pilots and adoptions for Collections, Benchmark Advance, Eureka Math, CPM, Inspire Science, Science Dimensions, Studies Weekly, MyWorld Interactive, TCI, Pearson, world languages, Reading Mastery and Corrective Reading, and others.

  • Facilitating Lesson Studies for all elementary teachers and many secondary teachers. 

  • Providing technology training and support as needed, including initial training in all things Google, Peardeck, Zearn, SMART Notebook, IXL, and more.

  • Supporting all PLC meetings. 

  • Establishing Math Help section of OJUSD website, including creating math help content on Eureka Math.

  • Organizing the Writing Support section of the OJUSD website.

  • Bringing back materials and strategies from various conferences and trainings to classroom teachers, including Anita Archer strategies, Writing Revolution materials, and Number Talks.

  • Supporting the 20-21 Independent Study program by training teachers in Google Classroom, creating weekly grade-level packets, and working on elementary Independent Study administrative tasks.

  • Supporting the 21-22 Independent Study program by establishing the initial program, provided ongoing training and support to the Ind. Study teachers, and subbed for Ind. Study teachers when no subs could be found.