Meet the Posse

Introducing the PD Posse!  When it comes to lernin' and sharing these townsfolk don't mess around.  To join our band of research wranglers visit the #PDposse hashtag on Twitter.  Be careful...once yer branded yer part of the posse for life!

Buckin' Brad Gustafson
K-5 Principal
Wayzata Public Schools, Minnesota

Brad Gustafson is a doctoral student at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota.  He's researching innovative professional development and believes that communication and the very nature of learning are changing in this digitally connected age.  He's a collaborative lead learner, and works alongside some of the best teachers in the business.

The staff at Greenwood Elementary, a 2010 National Blue Ribbon School, are not satisfied with the OK Corral.  They believe the student learning experience needs to be more like the Amazing Corral, and this vision requires PD to support a 21st century pedagogy. 

You can connect with Brad on Twitter by following @GustafsonBrad.



Lisa "Maddwoman" Madden
Curriculum Coordinator
Genesee Intermediate School District, MI

Lisa Madden hit the PD Frontier over twenty years ago, and is excited to join the #PDposse to collaboratively break new ground.  She has been a District Supervisor of ELA and Social Studies, a Title I Director, and back in the day, a secondary ELA teacher.

Lisa believes that effective PD must include collaboration and the opportunity to wrangle up new possibilities with other educators.  She is especially sweet on the potential of lab classrooms, which she wrote about in this article for ASCD.

Follow the "Maddwoman" on Twitter @lisa_madden


Charity "The Seeker" Stephens
Spanish Teacher & Many Other Hats
Liberty Public Schools, MO (thoughts are my own)

Charity Stephens has navigated the educational frontier for 16 years.  Eight years ago she veered off the point chasing path & trail blazed a path for knowledge seeking.

She is currently a high school Spanish teacher, International Languages Department Chair, Advisory Lead/Coordinator & serves as the lead for the District High School Curriculum of International Languages.  In addition to the many hats she wears, she has a Master's in Differentiated Instruction from Graceland University.


Charity "The Seeker" Stephens believes in meeting each student at his/her own level of readiness in order to grow. She invites all trail blazers to follow the PD Frontier blog & #PDposse on Twitter as well as her own blog Education Differentiated4u and Twitter @differNtiated4u .




“Showdown” Starr Sackstein


Starr Sackstein is an innovative, tech-savvy teacher always looking to push the boundaries in the classroom. Currently in her 12th year of teaching, Starr has taught everything from 7th grade humanities to 12th grade AP Literature and Composition. Always looking to tie content to inquiry based learning allowing students to choose what and how they show what they know. Focusing more on feedback and one on one conversations, students track their own progress and reflect regularly.


More of a facilitator and mentor, Starr actively learns taking risks and failing forward showing kids and colleagues that true growth can only happen when we put ourselves out there. Encouraging others by helping them find their own voices, Starr works to engage the school community in a dialogue about learning and hopes she can learn with all of you.




You can connect with Starr on Twitter by following @MsSackstein.




“Deputy” Drew Frank

Drew Frank is in his 13th year at The Alfred and Adele Davis Academy in Atlanta, GA.  He currently serves as the Director of Academic Operations and Lower School principal.  Drew has an M. Ed. in Educational Psychology with a focus on Gifted and Creative Education and has completed post graduate work in Educational Administration and Policy at the University of Georgia. He is also a proud graduate of the Day School Leadership Training Institute.  Drew has a passion for learning, teaching and cowboy boots.


Drew believes all learning begins with enhancing and caring for the culture in which our teachers, students, and community interact.  He strives to facilitate and foster a culture that: enables passionate teachers to feel supported and appreciated; creates a safe place where failure is recognized as a meaningful tool in the learning process; is made of members who are committed to modeling learning through their own continued professional growth; and, embraces dissenting opinions as great sources for data on alternative perspectives.   

Drew is a proud member and co-founder of the #blogamonth challenge. You can connect with Drew on Twitter by following @ugafrank


1 comment:

  1. I seriously love that we are doing this. I'm glad to be on-board. Let's get on this ride.

    ReplyDelete