Shannon Osborne, an instructional coach at C.C. Ring Elementary School shared her experiences with the Jamestown Public Schools Board of Education. P-J photo by Michael Zabrodsky

Jamestown Public Schools Board of Education learned Tuesday just how valuable instructional coaches are in the district.

Assistant Superintendent for Instruction and School Improvement Tina Sandstrom told board members how the 12 coaches underwent consistent improvement throughout the school year.

“This is a very strong group of educators in our district that have stepped into this role individually,” Sandstrom said. “They’re strong, and when they’re together, they’re like all individual superheroes.”

According to a prepared statement, the purpose of instructional coaching in the district is to provide students with high-quality, 21st century learning experiences within and beyond district classrooms, so that JPS graduates are prepared to excel in college, career, and life.

“We believe that all students are capable of learning,” the statement said. We believe that the role of teachers is to support students, and to foster students’ growth, development, and success. Similarly, we believe that the role of instructional coaches is to support teachers in their professional growth, development and success.”

The goals, the statement said, are to help all teachers feel seen and supported; foster high-engagement classrooms; standardize best practices and pedagogical priorities across the district; and improve outcomes for students and staff.

“Everyone needs a coach,” Sandstrom said. “We have very talented teachers all around our district, but when the coaches and the teachers are collaborating, really great things have happened and have started to happen this year and will continue, and then when we talk about the why, really the overall piece here is that really we’re always learning and growing.”

Shannon Osborne, an instructional coach at C.C. Ring Elementary School shared her experiences.

“This has been such a wonderful opportunity,” Osborne noted. “I realized that instructional coaching is more than a position, it’s an opportunity to support teachers to improve the outcomes of our students.”

Board President Paul Abbott said he is happy to see that not only new teachers, but veteran teachers receive coaching.

Board member John Panebianco aired several positive comments, and wished he had a similar program when he was a teacher in the district.

“Thank you for making our district stronger, our students more prepared, and your efforts when no one’s watching, because I know a lot of what you do is when no one’s watching,” Panebianco noted.

Sandstrom added that teachers don’t get coached because they are struggling. Teachers get coached because they want to grow as educators and professionals.