At Newburg Middle School in Louisville, Kentucky, coaching is a key to success. During the school’s first year as part of the Verizon Innovative Learning schools initiative, Newburg coach Chelsea Haynes, with the backing of her school leadership, made sure that teachers had the support they need to explore new ideas and try new tools to better meet the needs of their students.
“If I need something, she’s there. She supports me,” said English/language arts (ELA) teacher Cynthia Fields.
“Whenever I go to her I take my little notebook with me because we’ve got all these little ideas,” said Deborah Gandendberger, another ELA teacher at Newburg. “It’s fun; it’s the way you should do planning—you should plan with other people to get other ideas.”
Since 2014, the Verizon Innovative Learning schools initiative—which expands to 152 schools this year—has equipped every student and teacher in select middle schools across the country with a device and up to a four-year data plan, as well as extensive professional development and support towards powerful teaching and learning that leverages technology in and out of the classroom.
While she provides guidance and feedback to her teachers, Chelsea also acknowledges the importance of the opportunities she has had to learn from others, whether from the Verizon Innovative Learning schools professional learning staff or the network of 151 other coaches within the initiative.
“The connections I’ve made with other coaches throughout our district and across the nation have been powerful because we’re able to share ideas,” she said. “We learn best from each other.”
Watch the video below to see how Newburg Middle School is coaching for success thanks to the Verizon Innovative Learning schools initiative, then learn more about Verizon Innovative Learning schools.
