Sherrod D. Willaford, Ed. D. EDUCATION Doctor of Education Degree in School Improvement, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA, 2011 Master of Arts Degree in Administration and Supervision, State University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA, 2002 Bachelor of Arts Degree in Middle Grades Education, Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, GA, 1997 PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Executive Director for School Improvement, Office of School Turnaround and Improvement Norfolk Public Schools Norfolk, Virginia 7/2014 - Present Provides executive level leadership in an urban district for 12 schools in improvement (6 priority (5 elementary, 1 middle school), 2 focus (2 elementary schools), 1 conditionally accredited elementary school, and 1 accreditation denied high school. Responsibilities include: directing all school improvement staff and interdepartmental central office designees/representatives, internal lead partner for the system working with the Virginia Department of Education and other lead turnaround partners, evaluation of principal performance, reviewing and monitoring school improvement plans, responding to parent and community concerns, preparation and presentation of school board reports as requested by the Superintendent. Serves as a member of the Superintendent s cabinet. Accomplishments 10 additional schools recognized by the Superintendent for defying the norm for school improvement efforts in an urban school division by experiencing double digit gains in Reading, Mathematics, Science, and/or Social Studies Accreditation denied high school gained full accreditation Successfully established a professional learning community to support turnaround principals in their school improvement efforts (critical friends groups, book studies, etc). Assisted principals and school leadership teams in the interview and selection process for lead turnaround partners to support school improvement efforts Worked with lead turnaround partners to develop scopes of work Developed and secured School Improvement Grant for priority schools (approximately $3 million)
Facilitated monthly shared governance data meetings with principals, their leadership teams, and central office administrators to implement and monitor the school improvement process 7/2013 6/2014 Executive Director of Elementary Schools Norfolk Public Schools Norfolk, Virginia Provided executive level leadership in an urban school district for 16 elementary schools (12 schools accredited with warning, 2 focus schools, and 2 priority schools). Served as the internal lead partner for priority, focus, and warned schools. Responsibilities included: evaluation of principal performance, reviewing and monitoring school improvement plans, responding to parent and community concerns, preparation and presentation of school board reports as requested by the superintendent. Served as a member of the Superintendent s cabinet. Accomplishments Two school schools removed from the priority list (lowest performing 5%) One school removed from the focus list (lowest performing 10%). 10 schools recognized by the Superintendent for defying the norm (double digit increases in academic achievement) Clinical Faculty Member (Internship Coach) Columbia University Teachers College New York, New York 6/2012 6/2014 Provided guidance, advice, and feedback to Master s degree level students on their assignments prior to their submission to the university. Maintained on-going communication with students during the internship experience and conduct site visits. Principal 6/2006 6/2013 CJ Hicks Elementary Rockdale County Public School Lead teacher and learner in the largest elementary school in the district (950 students, 125 faculty and staff members). The student demographics were over 90% minority, 90% economically disadvantaged, and over 55% transient. Throughout my tenure, academic achievement consistently soared as 90% of the student population routinely met and/or exceeded standards on state assessments. Accomplishments Achieved adequate yearly progress (AYP) over consecutive years Title I Distinguished over consecutive years Superintendent s Academic Achievement Awards o Highest Aspirations Page 2
93% All students meeting and/or exceeding Reading/English Language Arts standards (2012) 94% All students meeting and/or exceeding Reading/English Language Arts standards (2011) 91% All students meeting and/or exceeding Reading/English Language Arts standards (2010) 90 % All students meeting and/or exceeding Reading/English Language Arts standards (2008) o Defying the Norm Award 91% English Learners meeting and/or exceeding Reading/English Language Arts Standards (2012) 93% Economically Disadvantaged meeting and/or exceeding Reading/English Language Arts standards (2012) 18 point academic growth/increase in Reading/English Language Arts for Students With Disabilities (2012) 91% Economically Disadvantaged meeting and/or exceeding Reading/English Language Arts standards (2010) 90% Economically Disadvantaged meeting and/or exceeding Reading/English Language Arts standards (2009) 91% Economically Disadvantaged meeting and/or exceeding Reading/English Language Arts standards (2008) 35 point academic growth/increase in English/Language Arts for ELLs (2008) 21 point academic growth/increase in Mathematics for ELLs (2008) International Baccalaureate Candidate School (2010) American School Counselors Association (ASCA) Model School (2009-2012) National Youth At-Risk Conference High Flying School Award (2009) Increased student achievement of students meeting or exceeding standards in reading from 83% (2006-07) to 93% (2011-12). Increased student achievement of students meeting or exceeding standards in mathematics from 79% (2006-07) to 89% (2010-11). Increased student achievement on the 5 th grade writing assessment from 55% meeting and exceeding standards (2007) to 90% meeting and exceeding standards (2012). Developed standards-based safety-nets for struggling learners that were implemented during the regular school day, after school hours, and Saturdays Facilitated the development of a master schedule to support implementation of the workshop model, acceleration and enrichment blocks, and professional learning communities. Fostered the coordination and development of the school s strategic plan for school improvement which involved representation of all stakeholders to include parents, faculty/staff, and students Implemented Single Gender Classes in grades K-5 to meet the unique needs of all learners Led staff in the utilization of a systematic and detailed data analysis process to increase student achievement and ensure student success Developed Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan Page 3
Assistant Principal 12/2004 5/2006 Conyers Middle School Rockdale County Public Schools Eighth Grade Science Teacher 7/2004 11/2004 Conyers Middle School Rockdale County Public Schools Remedial Education Program Teacher 7/2003 6/2004 Rockdale County High School Rockdale County Public Schools Middle School Math Specialist 8/2002 6/2003 Stephenson Middle School Dekalb County School System Stone Mountain, GA Middle School Math Teacher 12/1997 6/2002 Stephenson Middle School Dekalb County School System Stone Mountain, GA ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Urban Superintendents Academy, American Association of School Administrators (AASA), the School Superintendents Association, and Howard University, School of Education, Arlington, VA 2015 Aspiring Superintendents Program, School Leaders Institute, Virginia Tech School of Education and the Virginia Tech Center for Organizational and Technological Advancement (COTA), Roanoke, VA, 2014 The College of William and Mary School Leadership Institute: SURN Visible Leading Institute for Central Office Williamsburg, VA (9/2014) American Montessori Society Annual Conference Dallas, TX (3/2014) Council of the Great City Schools Annual Conference Albuquerque, NM (10/2013) Page 4
National Principal Mentor/Coaching K-12 Training and Certification, Facilitator: Dr. Willie Jackson National Association of Elementary School Principals (3/2013) Facilities and Capital Outlay Institute, Facilitator: Mr. Jim Steele Superintendent Professional Learning Program (10/2012-3/2013) Critical Friends Group Training MRESA (2012) International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program Category II Training (Assessment) The CASIE Center Atlanta, Georgia (6/2012) National Board Certification for Elementary School Principals - pilot (8/2011-12/2012) Summer Principals Academy New Orleans, LA (6/2012) National Association of Elementary School Principals Mentoring Institute Seattle, WA (3/2012) Teaching with Poverty in Mind, Facilitator: Dr. Eric Jensen (2/2012) Common Core Georgia Performance Training for Administrators Atlanta, GA (6/2011) Transforming School Culture: How to Overcome Staff Division Workshop Facilitator: Dr. Anthony Muhammad (2/2011) Grading Exceptional Learners Facilitators: Lee Ann Jung and Tom Guskey (11/2010) National Association for Single Sex Public Education (NASSPE) Las Vegas, NV (10/2010) Helping Boys Succeed In School, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) On-Site Capacity Building (10/2010) Page 5
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) Orlando, FL (6/2010) International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program Category I Training (IBPYP) Chicago, IL (2/2010) International Center for Leadership in Education, Leadership Academy New Orleans, LA (1/2010) Standards-based Grading and Reporting Facilitator/ASCD Faculty Member: Deborah Childs-Bowen Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) (2009-2011) National Association for Single Sex Public Education (NASSPE) Atlanta, GA (10/2009) International Center for Leadership in Education Summer Conference Atlanta, GA (6/2009) Cultural Competency Training Anti-Defamation League of Atlanta (2008-2009) Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) New Orleans, LA (3/2008) Strategic Planning Training, The Cambridge Group Athens, GA (7/2006) PRESENTATIONS Year One Implementation at C. J. Hicks Elementary School: A professional learning plan for teachers, students, and the community National Association for Single Sex Public Education Presenter (10/2010) High Flying Schools Showcase National Youth At-Risk Conference at Georgia Southern University Presenter (3/2009) Process Improvement The Principals Center at Georgia State University Presenter (1/2008) An Examination of School Culture and Climate University of West Georgia Presenter (4/2007) Page 6
PUBLICATIONS An Examination of Lesson Preparation and Delivery of Elementary Mathematics for English Language Learners A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the University of West Georgia, UMI Number: 3486433, Copyright 2011 by Proquest LLC Emerging Leader: Turning around schools and futures A departmental interview/article published in Phi Delta Kappan, March 2013 issue, Greg Patterson author Boys from the hood often misunderstood A departmental interview/article published in Phi Delta Kappan, October 2014 issue, Greg Patterson author AWARDS Emerging Leader Award (2012) Phi Delta Kappa COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS Member, Phi Delta Kappa International Member, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Member, Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals Member, National Association of Elementary School Principals Member, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. REFERENCES Available upon request Page 7