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Interested in becoming a part of The Inspired Learning Community?  Join a community of like-minded educators who are passionate about reimagining school and sharing their best practices.  Click on the link below to receive updates about blog posts, resources, digital conversations, and The Inspired Learning Convention.  
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CONTRIBUTE.

Have an inspiring practice or experience that you would like to shared with The Inspired Learning Project?  Click on the link below to share your work.  We will contact you directly to help you finalize your work and publish your inspiring practice to our entire community.
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NOMINATE.

Have a colleague doing inspiring work?  Fill out the quick form linked below to nominate them to share their inspired learning experience on our blog.  You fill out the form and we do the rest!  We will reach out to your colleague via email, assist them in writing and editing their blog post, and get them published. 
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Meet the Inspired Learning Team

​Feel free to reach out to us individually or to all of us at inspiredlearningteam@gmail.com.

JOHN CLEMENTS

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John Clements is Co-Principal of Nipmuc Regional High School. He began his career at Nipmuc twenty-one years ago as an English teacher. He spent seven years as an assistant principal and is currently in his ninth year as principal. Mr. Clements is passionate about evolving education to meet the needs of the modern world. He is the recipient of the 2017 Massachusetts Principal of the Year Award.

Mr. Clements is a believer in the power of professional sharing as a source of professional growth and development. He is a founder of The Inspired Learning Project, a past moderator of the Twitter chat #thinktankED, and - along with Mrs. Moran - the co-creator of the Launching Modern Learning course in order to guide other educators in building schools that inspire. He and Mrs. Moran shared their efforts to reimagine school in the Modern Learners podcast, “Creating a New Story of Learning”. He regularly shares his work and the learning practices of Nipmuc Regional with educators across Massachusetts, New England, and the country. 

Mr. Clements is a proponent of the accreditation process as a way to promote a culture of continuous improvement in our schools. He has worked closely with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), including chairing NEASC’s committee to design the 2020 Standards for Accreditation, serving six years Commissioner, and chairing accreditation visiting teams. He is the recipient of NEASC’s 2016 Jacob Ludes III Leadership Award. He is a past president of the Blackstone Valley Education Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports innovative educational programming to assist students’ development of 21st-century skills by connecting classrooms with industry.  You can follow John on Twitter @JohnKClements or reach him directly via email at jclements@mursd.org.

MAUREEN COHEN

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Maureen Cohen is the Assistant Superintendent in the Mendon-Upton Regional School District located in Mendon, Massachusetts.  With twenty years experience in education, Dr. Cohen has worked across urban and suburban school settings as a high school teacher, school building administrator and district leader.   In 2012, Dr. Cohen was the MSSAA Massachusetts Assistant Principal of the Year and was selected as one of the 3 national finalists for NASSP Assistant Principal of the Year. With undergraduate and graduate degrees from Bowdoin College and Northeastern University in government and international relations, followed by a doctorate in educational leadership, her educational background has focused on the impact of leadership in national, global, and educational institutions.  Dr. Cohen is passionate about creating educational environments built on positive relationships that unlock students’ potential, empower student agency, and provide opportunities for relevant learning experiences that are authentic, innovative, and collaborative.

Dr. Cohen also believes in the importance of building cross-district networks focused on collaboration and continuous improvement.  As a result, she has built cross-district mentoring programs, leadership roundtables, and collaborative projects with regional districts.  A frequent presenter, she has presented at MASS, MSAA, MassCUE, EduCon, and numerous MA PD days (Nashoba, Ashland, Hopedale, Mashpee). Her presentations have been on various topics such as:  Leadership (Transformative, Mindful, Instructional, Change, Technological), Project Based Learning, Curriculum Design, Student Engagement, Mentoring, Growth Mindset, and Social-Emotional Learning.  In addition to presentations, she has led district strategic committees on equity, later start times, and strategic planning in Ashland, Grafton, and Sutton respectively. Additionally, she served as a member of the Grafton School Committee and Co-Chair of the Blackstone Valley Curriculum Consortium.  You can follow her on her district website: mursdcurriculum.weebly.com, on Twitter at @maureenmcohen, or via email at mcohen@mursd.org.

MARY ANNE MORAN

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Mary Anne Moran is Co-Principal of Nipmuc Regional High School in Upton, Massachusetts. She began her career as an elementary educator and quickly made her way up to the secondary level.  She has been a member of the Nipmuc community for the last 17 years transitioning from the role of math educator and department chair to the role of assistant principal and now co-principal.   Ms. Moran was named 2016 Massachusetts Assistant Principal of the Year.

With a passion for what it possible and an endless curiosity about our educational system, Ms. Moran spends much of her time reading, leading, and learning about reimagining and redesigning our schools for the modern world.    With a focus on student voice and embracing the idea that we are all learners, she has worked to create and implement structures at Nipmuc to ensure that all members of the school community are a part of the journey to make school meaningful, relevant, and engaging. 

As a leadership team for the last 9 years, Ms. Moran and Mr. Clements regularly share their passion for this work with educators throughout New England and from across the country through professional development sessions.  Together, they co-authored an online course focused on actionable strategies to lead school communities through their first years of change (Launching Modern Learning).  Their work around change in schools was also featured on the Modern Learners podcast, “Creating a New Story of Learning.”  Finally, together with three of her colleagues, Ms. Moran created and regularly contributes as a member of the Inspired Learning Project - connecting educators, leaders, and school communities across the country to support them in journeys to reimagine school. ​  Follow Nipmuc's journey at bit.ly/nipmucroadmap.  You can follow Mary Anne on Twitter @Mary_Anne_Moran or reach her directly via email at mamoran@mursd.org.

DAVE QUINN

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Dave Quinn is the Director of Technology Integration for the Mendon-Upton Regional School District where he heads the 1:1 Learning program and technology professional development. Dave began his career in 2010 as a middle school history teacher at King Philip Middle School in Norfolk, MA. While teaching, Quinn leveraged KPMS's technological infrastructure to enhance the student experience through digital inquiry and the creation of authentic products. Students designed museum exhibit proposals through WebQuests, built Wikispaces on early Greek cultures and developed their own "60 Minutes" style historical news shows, among other projects. His interest in technology in education led him to pursue a Ph.D. full-time under Dr. Julie Coiro at the University of Rhode Island.

From 2013-2016, Dave worked at University of Rhode Island as a Graduate Assistant and instructor teaching both freshman and masters students. In 2015, he was the coordinator of URI's Summer Institute in Digital Literacy, a week-long professional development program focused on collaborative inquiry and digital learning design. He is currently a doctoral candidate working on a dissertation focused on teachers who conduct Genius Hour student interest-driven inquiry projects with their students.

Dave has shared his work at a wide variety of local and national conferences including MassCUE, RIDE Innovation Powered by Technology Conference, the Literacy Research Association Conference, Digital Media and Learning Conference and the International Literacy Association Conference. An advocate of civic participation, he also served on the Attleboro School Committee and Seekonk School Committee.  You can follow Dave on Twitter @EduQuinn or reach him directly via email at dquinn@mursd.org.

MEET OUR INSPIRED LEARNING CATALYSTS

NICOLE BOTTOMLEY
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bottomleyn@holliston.k12.ma.us
@HollistonHigh
Principal, Holliston High School (Holliston, MA)

​As the Principal of Holliston High School (HHS), I have the honor of working with creative, innovative and compassionate students and educators on a daily basis. Deep, meaningful learning resulting from authentic experiences is what we strive to co-construct with students. We are currently engaging in inspiring and challenging conversations to solidify our Vision of a Graduate. The work is exciting and exhausting but I love every minute of it. At HHS we recognize that the way students need to prepare for the future has significantly changed over the last several years. I am optimistic that not only will we change instructional practices, but we will change the larger systems and structures that are obstacles to unleashing students' potential to change their futures. 


JENNIFER CLIFFORD
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j.clifford@hwschools.net
@msjennclifford

Principal, Cutler School, Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District (Hamilton, MA)

Jenn Clifford is celebrating her 14th year as the principal of the Cutler School. She loves being part of a school and larger community that has allowed her to watch children grow from kindergarteners into amazing high school graduates. Jenn is passionate about ensuring that all children find their strengths as learners. She believes that learning happens both inside and outside of school and is currently exploring the concepts of schooling vs. learning with her community. The conversations about the purpose of school and our role as educators in a modern context energize her work and expand the connections within her school community everyday.


LIZ GARDEN
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LIZ_GARDEN@WRSD.NET
@PrincipalGarden
Principal, Dr. Leroy E. Mayo Elementary School (Holden, MA)

Liz is a passionate principal who strives to break the leadership mold, loves to connect with other school leaders and educators, and believes that we need to innovate and redesign what school looks like for all of our students. Liz loves that everyday she has the opportunity to help mold future minds...an awesome responsibility! She is a co-founder of the Moms As Principals group, a support group for female leaders that believes in the motto "All Kids Are Our Kids." She is always looking to build new connections and be a support to educational leaders; you can reach out to her on Twitter (@PrincipalGarden) or Voxer (@PrincipalGarden).

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BRIAN HODGES
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bhodges@attleboroschools.com
@bhodge2727
 Social Studies Coordinator, Attleboro High School (Attleboro, MA)
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We need to prepare students for citizenship and for all of the responsibilities that accompany it. They need to have relevant and authentic experiences to develop skills that are broad and transferable. In order to do this, students should be seen as leaders both in the school and community and provided with experiences that allow them to engage in that work while they are still in school. Jal Mehta and Sarah Fine said this better than I ever could in their book "In Search of Deeper Learning". They said we should be creating experiences where students are "playing the whole game at the junior level". High school should require students to be doing the work of citizenship rather than reading about the accomplishments of others.


BETH HOLLAND
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beth@brholland
@brholland
Researcher and Writer (Newport, RI)

I firmly believe that we have always known what great learning looks like: it's active, social, and meaningful. Currently, I am looking at how to ensure that ALL students have equitable access to the types of opportunities that then foster true learning - vs engaging in schooling. As to the future of education, I think that we need to first take a very critical look at the past. In order to move forward, systemic inequities need to be acknowledged, the origin of traditional practices understood, and a clear definition of learning needs to be established. Right now, I am a bit in flux in terms of roles and work, but what is driving me is the need to bridge research and practice as well as to raise awareness about students, schools, and systems that have not historically been given enough attention.
PATRICK KELLEY
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patrick.kelley@tritonschools.org
@pfkelley
Principal, Triton Regional High School (Newbury, Salisbury, and Rowley, MA)

My most fundamental belief about education is that our primary objective must be developing relationships with students to help them grow as individuals. I believe that schools must prioritize teaching the skills and proficiencies that are fundamentally human as we move through the 21st century. While technology will always disrupt both education and the world at large, the role of schools is to help students learn about themselves and the world around them. I love seeing students able to grow in confidence as they persevere through challenging learning opportunities. I am passionate about helping to provide greater agency for both students and teachers in schools. If our goal is for students to leave our schools capable of making adult decisions with the ability to navigate the world around them, we must provide them with supported opportunities to do so while they are in our care.  
ERIN LACHAPELLE
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elachapelle@ashland.k12.ma.us
Dean of Students, Ashland High School (Ashland, MA)

I believe that education should focus on supporting the whole child, and that learning should be active and inquiry based. When there is choice and passion behind student learning the product is far more memorable for the student. I am excited and hopeful that education is moving from teacher-focused classrooms to student-centered classrooms. My hope is that we get to a point where students are driving the learning process, and that teachers are supporting them as content knowledge experts. I love my role at AHS because I get to make connections with students and watch them grow over four years. I love to hear about their passions and their goals, and I hope I am inspiring them to reach their full potential. I am lucky to work in a district where the basis for all decisions is, "what is best for our students." 
PATRICK LARKIN
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larkin@bpsk12.org
@patrickmlarkin

Assistant Superintendent, Burlington Public Schools (Burlington, MA)

I am in my eighth year as the Assistant Superintendent for Learning for Burlington Public Schools. Prior to this, I served 15 years as a building-level administrator in Burlington, Peabody, and Mendon-Upton. I am proud to say that my roots are in the Mendon-Upton School District where I attended school, taught, and began my administrative career. As the Principal at Burlington High School, I was fortunate to help lead one of the first 1:1 iPad implementations in the country. This decision involved many conversations within the school community about how instruction can and should change given the tools that are available. During this time, I welcomed many educators from across the state to Burlington to share our journey. I believe strongly that we need to be more coordinated than ever to ensure that our students are prepared to pursue their passions. It is only with this type of active commitment that we can ensure an equitable educational experience where all students feel empowered and believe in their ability to achieve their learning goals.


TED MCCARTHY
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@Ted_McCarthy
Principal, Sutton High School (Sutton, MA)

​Hi! Ted McCarthy here - this is my 24th year in education. I'm a dad, husband, and owner of the world’s best dog - Henry (sorry if you thought yours was!) Finished 8 marathons, and looking to run more in 2020. The best thing about being a high school principal is that you get to work with every part of your school. The Science Department, the custodians, the soccer team, the Drama club - everyone. You get to see how passionate each of those folks are about what they do and why they do it. Everyone committed to making school the best it can be for our kids. I’m honored to work for such a great group of people. Students inspire and challenge us each day - and we are lucky to work for young people who are looking to make their world a better place. They know that much of what school currently is is artifice. The great thing about my job is that I get to help create an environment where our students can start to learn who they want to be, and how they can make the world a better place.
TOBEY REED
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treed@attleboroschools.com
@reedAHS

Teacher, Attleboro High School (Attleboro, MA)

I believe that learning is best done when it is collaborative, engaging, and challenging. In these environments we thrive. Everyday I get excited to watch the students learn something new and get challenged and pushed until they finally get it. That is a fantastic moment. I think that education is developing in a very positive direction. Groups like this one give me hope that we are changing for the better all the time. I strive to surround myself with people who can help me improve as a teacher as well as a human being.  
MICHAEL RUBIN
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mrubin@uxbridge.k12.ma.us
@uxbhsprincipal

Principal, Uxbridge High School (Uxbridge, MA)

Now in my fifth year at Uxbridge High School, our work has focused on merging skills with content and a balance of independence with collaborative outcomes. For both students and staff, we focus on integrating a number of skills to complete tasks that are relevant, authentic, and original. As such, Uxbridge has been a leader in the Innovation pathway movement in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which merges Technical and academic outcomes with industry-related credentials and Partnerships between school and work. Common planning and collaborative problem-solving, consistent with design thinking, emerge in nearly every aspect of school life at UHS. Through these efforts, UHS focuses on deeper learning and supports for different learning styles and profiles. In addition to my work at UHS, I have chaired several accreditation visiting teams for the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, served on multiple committees for the Massachusetts school administrators Association and Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, and helped coordinate the state Project Lead the Way Showcase. I am also on the Advisory Board for the Central Massachusetts STEM Ecosystem and Blackstone Valley Education Hub, and I have been a featured speaker and panelist at a number of state and National conferences and workshops.
KELLEY ST. COEUR
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kstcoeur@ashland.k12.ma.us
@kstcoeur

Principal, Ashland High School (Ashland, MA)

I have a simple belief about learning: all students can learn. It is our job to make sure that is true by providing equitable opportunities and supports for all. Learning is about finding your passion and seeing where it will take you. As a principal I love the ability to work with all kinds of learners. Seeing students learn from life experience and each other, especially when they become passionate about something, is what drives me. Experiences and outcomes might look different depending on the student but I am excited when they have an experience in school where I can see the passion and excitement. AHS is a school community that is willing to take risks to allow students to grow as individuals. That is what I love about the students and faculty here.

PAUL VIEIRA
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pvieira@ashland.k12.ma.us
@paul_vieira1
Assistant Superintendent, Ashland Public Schools (Ashland, MA)

Dr. Paul Vieira is the assistant superintendent of Ashland Public Schools.  He has spent the last 25 years as a Spanish teacher, assistant principal, principal, and now as an assistant superintendent.
Dr. Vieira is grounded in the belief that all kids have the ability to be successful and that it is our responsibility to create an environment that allows for that success to happen. He is the founder of Lead From the Heart. Dr. Vieira believes that regardless of our role in education, we are all leaders. Leading from the heart means that every day we show high energy, emotion, are action-oriented, build relationships and establish trust. With this, we help provide students and teachers the environment to succeed.



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