CoffeED: Lake Washington9 min 9 sedCircuit on Vimeo
Lake Washington’s professional learning and coaching atmosphere Lake Washington School District is proud of the work they are doing in making sure their students are college and career ready upon graduation. And with a graduation rate that is consistently around 90%, it is clear that they are successful at it.
At the core of the success of the district is a professional development and coaching culture that the district promotes and fosters, a culture that has been embraced by educators and administrators alike. I recently sat down with Charlotte Plouse, Caitlin Bank and Ashley Boughton, to discuss this district-wide coaching initiative that has transformed the workplace over the last four years.
As I learned in the interview, a lot of time and effort went into creating just the right coaching program with the greatest chance of success. Leaders spent many hours researching best practices and talking with various stakeholders to create the perfect storm of professional learning. The results speak for themselves with improved student outcomes and a high level of morale which leads to a low turnover rate.
Lake Washington is a model for other districts around the country to copy when it comes to professional development, mentoring and coaching in K-12 education.
This article was originally posted in the Huffington Post
About Lake Washington School District
Lake Washington School District in King County, Washington, is the third largest school district in the state with an enrollment of over 29,000 students. The Lake Washington School District’s mission is focused on graduating Every Student Future Ready. This means every student is prepared for college, prepared for the global workplace, and prepared for personal success. The district was formed in 1944 by combining three smaller districts.
Professional Learning Coach, Lake Washington School District
Charlotte Plouse has worked at Lake Washington School District in Redmond, Washington, since 2014. From 2014 to 2019 she was a Professional Learning Coach and helped build the district-wide coaching program edCircuit covered in 2017. She later worked in student services and now serves as Associate Director of Learning Initiatives for Students and Families.
Caitlin Bank of the Lake Washington School District in Washington state spoke with edCircuit in 2017, with Charlotte Plouse and Ashley Boughton, about the district-wide coaching initiative behind the district's professional learning culture.
Ashley Boughton is an educator in the Lake Washington School District in Washington state, where she has worked for about 20 years as a classroom teacher, a Professional Learning Coach, associate principal at Emily Dickinson Elementary and principal of John Muir Elementary. In 2017 she was interviewed by edCircuit, with colleagues Charlotte Plouse and Caitlin Bank, about the district's professional development and coaching initiative.
