September 7, 2022No Comments
Working with STRIVE these past two years has been transformative for our school district in so many ways.  Three of the most noticeable areas of growth have been in our professional development, our use of data, and our improved instructional delivery.
Our Professional Development is more streamlined than it has ever been; ensuring our learning is supported and continuous between sessions.  We have aligned our instructional needs to specific and intentional PD sessions to support teacher improvements.  Using our comprehensive needs assessment to drive what our needs are, has helped determine which areas need improvement and ensures we deliver PD that develops teachers’ skills for sustainability long term.
Improving our data skills with STRIVE has given teachers the ability to own their classroom data and made data an integral part of the collaboration amongst teammates and grade-level colleagues.  Learning how to unpack our data using the focus folders, and digital data spreadsheets have changed the way our teachers use their benchmark data and has been the catalyst to improving our targeted and intensive support for student achievement.
Developing a deeper understanding of the development of foundational literacy skills as well as disciplinary literacy for secondary students has been a pedagogical shift for many of our teachers; understanding the relationships between content and delivery of explicit instruction.  Through this study, we have begun to develop teacher leaders in these areas in order to develop in-district trainers to sustain the knowledge and practices for staff long term.
We look forward to our continued partnership and for continued growth to come!

–Charla

Director of Curriculum & Instruction
Laurel Public School Dist. 7 & 7-70
Debbie Hunsaker, M.Ed.

Debbie Hunsaker, M.Ed., is the Owner and Lead Implementation Consultant of STRIVE Educational Consulting, a national organization dedicated to improving literacy and math achievement for all students. Debbie has devoted her career to elevating teaching and learning through evidence-based professional learning, leadership development, and sustainable systems of support for educators and schools.

At STRIVE, Debbie leads a team that partners with schools and districts across the country to meet them where they are and support them in building coherent systems for teaching and learning. STRIVE’s work focuses on helping educators plan, teach, and assess reading, writing, and math through aligned, research-driven professional development and implementation support. Core areas of expertise include building effective multi-tiered systems of support resulting in both growth and achievement in literacy and math. 

Prior to founding STRIVE, Debbie served as the Division Administrator for Educational Opportunity and Equity at the Montana Office of Public Instruction, where she led statewide literacy and equity initiatives to improve outcomes for all learners. She directed programs including Reading First, Early Reading First, Title I School Support, and the Montana Comprehensive Literacy Project.

Debbie is the author of multiple professional and children’s resources, including:

  • STRIVE’s Data System: A How-To on Planning, Teaching, and Assessing Reading Groups...soon to be Striving Readers

  • The STRIVE Coaching Handbook

  • Striving Writers

  • The Striving Mathematician System

  • L.I.T.E.R.A.C.Y. 

  • and the children’s book We Made Do

Debbie continues to collaborate with schools and state partners nationwide to transform research into action—helping educators build the knowledge, systems, and confidence to ensure every student and teacher thrives. Reach out for references and success stories through our partnerships with schools and districts.

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