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I am so honored to have been elected to a two-year term as President of Learning Forward New Jersey.

I first became involved more than 15 years ago when we were still an affiliate of the National Staff Development Council and I was a Supervisor of Professional Development just piloting the Professional Learning Communities model in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Education. Just as the National Staff Development Council became Learning Forward, and professional development evolved into professional learning, I have grown in my role and understanding of the responsibility to support planning, implementation, and the measurement of high-quality professional learning. This work is so critical to ensure that teams can achieve success in their schools, district, and in improved outcomes for students.

Learning Forward New Jersey is the State affiliate of the international organization, and as such we are committed to providing educators across the state the tools to build capacity to equitably serve all students. As an organization we believe

• Professional learning that improves educator effectiveness is fundamental to student learning.
• All educators have an obligation to improve their practice.
• More students achieve when educators assume collective responsibility for student learning.
• Successful leaders create and sustain a culture of learning.
• Effective school systems commit to continuous improvement for all adults and students.

Additionally, we believe professional learning is a critical lever to achieve equity. Learning Forward defines equity as the outcome of educator practices that respect and nurture all aspects of student identity. This vision for equity in schools requires transformation at every level of the education system.

On this site, and through your membership in Learning Forward you will find a number of resources to assist in developing new ideas, approaches, and strategies for professional learning focused on the social, emotional, and academic needs of students and educators, and ensuring leaders at all levels sustain a culture of collective responsibility that accelerates learning for all students.

Learning Forward New Jersey also offers opportunities for educators to come together virtually and in-person via regional workshops, Chat and Chews, partner conferences, and district support to ensure your professional learning is standards-driven, job-embedded, and focused on improved instruction and better results for all students. We are hopeful that we can help you to transform professional learning into true learning systems, where all educators engage in a measurable and scalable cycle of improvement.

Looking forward to working and Learning Forward with you!