Creating and Sustaining Inclusive Cultures in Dynamic Learning Organizations

Amber Schmidt

Kristel Solomon-Saleem

​​​Our Team Is Growing!​ 
We are delighted to welcome two new members to our team.
Amber Schmidt and Kristel Solomon-Saleem have recently joined Team PIE and bring with them a powerful combination of international school experience, expertise in the field of special education,
and successful system-wide implementation of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support.
​Welcome Amber and Kristel!

Pathways to Inclusive Education (PIE) supports dynamic learning organizations as they create and sustain inclusive school cultures. We understand that there are no one-size-fits-all solutions in the world of education. After seeking to understand a school's existing state, PIE collaborates with administrators to design a customized process which aligns beliefs, evolves programming, and transforms teacher practice in order to impact student learning. 

We Support Schools at Three Elevations

How Do We Work at Each Elevation?

 ​Strategic Level

 Programmatic Level

Practice Level

By beginning our collaboration with a program review, we are able to learn about your school to discover its' beliefs and values.  We do that by:

• reviewing defining organizational statements such as the Mission and Core Values.
• speaking with members of the community including teacher, students, administrators and parents. 
• looking at a variety of data related to student performance and seek to understand how your current programmatic structures and practices could be resources or barriers moving forward.

Our program review results in a comprehensive report which includes commendations and recommendations at all three levels.

During our on site visits, we present information and facilitate processes with cabinets, strategic planning teams and other groups charged with designing and leading school-wide change.

We consult with, and coach, administrators as they lead their faculty through the change. 

In addition to future on site visits, we also support the work with administrators and teacher leaders through Skype, FaceTime, Zoom or other platforms.

The work of schools is constantly evolving.  As we learn about learning and discover how to do familiar things in new ways, there are opportunities to look at systems (mental models, strategies and plans) which represent the school's beliefs and values.

• scheduling
• models of instruction
  • Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
  • Multi-Tiered Systems of Support
    • Response to Intervention
    • Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports
  • English as an Additional Language
    • Integrated English Language Development (ELD)
    • Designated ELD)
    • Monitoring of exited students
  • Co-teaching
  • Standards-based Learning
    
• processes for gathering student data and analyzing student performance  
• processes related to student identification
• processes related to student support services
• professional learning and reflection through the use of planning and reflecting coaching conversations with grade level leaders, team leaders and other teachers.

People who have not shifted their beliefs are hesitant to shift their practice.  We support school communities in shifting beliefs and learning new practices by:

Crafting professional learning opportunities around a "what, why, how" model.  Communicating relevance matters. We support teachers in meeting the needs of a wide range of diverse learners by developing their understanding and practice of:

• ​UDL
  • Multiple means of engagement
  • Multiple means of action and expression  ​
  • Multiple means of representation
• RTI and MTSS
  • Tier 1 instructional support
  •  Tier 2 and 3 interventions
• EAL and ELD
  • SIOP/Sheltered Instruction
  • WIDA
• The Co-teaching Cycle
  • Models of co-teaching
  • ​Co-teaching agreement
  • co-planning,  co-assessing and co-reflecting structures

Modeling engaging and well-designed professional learning by using structures and processes that teachers can take back to their classrooms immediately.

Engage in short coaching cycles around questions of practice with the use of planning conversations, data gathering and reflecting conversations.