Last week, the St. Louis Schools Collaborative (SLSC) launched its new Learning Visits Series, an educator-driven peer professional development program. The series emerged from a collaborative effort between members of the SLSC who were eager to share resources and learn from one another, piloting the idea last year and refining it through ongoing feedback and iteration. After a successful pilot year, the series has now launched as an annual offering, expanding its reach to more educators dedicated to continuous learning across the St. Louis Schools Collaborative.
The visit left us feeling seen and valued for our hard work as a school and inspired to continue the work with some great ideas and new connections!
Dr. Sarah Ranney, Executive Director of LPA
The first stop was Lafayette Preparatory Academy (LPA), where educators gathered to explore the school’s innovative approach to teacher coaching. Teacher Coaching Strategies offered participants a valuable opportunity to learn from LPA’s instructional coaching leadership team about their ongoing journey to enhance student outcomes through the coaching and professional development of teachers.
After being grounded in LPA’s history, teaching philosophies, and school culture, participants benefitted from dedicated time for classroom observation, watching peer educators put theory into practice. Led by Head of School, Nicole Niewald, participants then took a deep dive into the LPA’s coaching model, gaining an in-depth understanding of how their team provides individualized support to teachers, helping them fine-tune their instructional approaches in ways that are directly aligned with the school’s student-centered vision and each teacher’s unique goals. Attendees explored how to cultivate an environment of learning and feedback, and got practical advice on coaching strategies that directly link back to measurable student and educator growth.
Throughout the visit, participants were not only able to hear about these practices but also witness them in action. LPA educators and coaches offered observation time, showcased real-time feedback sessions, and shared the successes and challenges they’ve faced in implementing their coaching framework. The collaborative discussions that followed were rich with ideas, as visiting educators exchanged thoughts on how to adapt similar coaching strategies within their own schools.
The session at LPA was organized and led by Dr. Sarah Ranney, Executive Director of LPA and member of the SLSC, who helped bring the Learning Visits series to life. Working closely together, Dr. Ranney and her team designed a session that would highlight the school’s strengths in teacher coaching. Reflecting on the event, she shared “Having educators come together and share best practices and ideas always inspires me. We all work hard and we have so much to gain from learning from each other. The LPA staff was able to learn and grow alongside our guest educators who provided great questions, insights, and feedback. The visit left us feeling seen and valued for our hard work as a school and inspired to continue the work with some great ideas and new connections! We can’t wait to visit other schools in the region and we hope to host again soon!”
The Learning Visits series is off to an inspiring start, with LPA facilitating a collaborative exchange of knowledge and strategies that strengthen educational practices across schools in St. Louis. As the series continues throughout the year, more schools will open their doors, fostering an invaluable network of peer learning that will benefit students across the region. Stay tuned to our events page for your chance to attend an upcoming visits!
The St. Louis Schools Collaborative is supported by the Center for Education Leadership, a program of the St. Louis Community Foundation.